1919.] Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 785 



XXXV. — Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 



South African Hawk-Eagles. 



Sir, — In my article on Hieraa'etus ayresi in 'The Ibis' for 

 April of the present year, I mentioned a s])ecinieu in the 

 Durban Museum which I believed, from the description 

 furnished me by the Director, to be referable to this 

 species. I have now, through the kindness of the Director 

 of the Durban Museum, had an opportunity of examining 

 this specimen and, as I expected, it proves to be a tine 

 adult, and is very similar in general colour to the specimen 

 described and figured in my paper, but is rather more 

 heavily marked with black below ; the tarsi are, however, 

 very slightly streaked, almost immaculate in fact. There is 

 a small white frontal spot as is often seen in H. pennatus ; 

 and many new feathers are appearing on the scapulars and 

 wing-coverts, all of which are tipped with white. As I sus- 

 pected, an error had been made in measuring tiie wing, which 

 proves to be barely six inches in length, and not I7f inches 

 as stated in m}^ notes. 



I am, 



Yours faithfully, 



Roberts Heights, C. G. Finch-Davies, Lt. 



Pretoria. (1st S.A.M.R.) . 



18 June, 1919. 



The Number of Eggs laid by the Blackbird in Spain. 



Sir, — In Lieut. -Colonel 11. Meinertzhagen's paper on 

 (leographical Distribution and Migration [antea, p. 389), 

 I'eference is made to the question whether the same species, 

 v.hen nesting in tropical countries, lays fewer eggs in the 

 clutch and rears more broods in the season than the same 

 l)ird in more northern climes. In support of this he quotes 

 Mr. A. Chapman, who states ('Wild Spain/ p. 219) that in 

 Spain the Blackbird as a rule lays but three eggs. A siniihir 



