IV FALCONIDAE 



153 



more terrestrial, and chiefly frequents grassy plains ; it is moreover 

 less energetic, and has an easy and loitering though protracted flight, 

 with a custom of uttering its whistling or mournful notes in chorus, 

 the head being thrown back as in the Carancho. Tlie nest of 

 sticks, lined with grass, hair, and wool, may be on trees, in grass, or 

 rushes, Senex preferring sea-girt cliffs ; the eggs, from two to five in 

 number, are cream-coloured, or reddish with darker markino-s and 

 vary as in Polylorus. Human beings are very rarely molested 

 by " Carrion Hawks," though birds seem to fear them greatly. 



Sub-fam. 3. Accipitrinae. First of this group may be placed six 

 genera of " Harrier-Eagles," classed as Circaetinae by the late J. 

 H. Gurney,^ of which Her-petotlures cachinnans, ranging from South 

 Mexico to Bolivia and Paraguay, is the only American represent- 

 ative. It is a crested bird, of a brown colour above, relieved by 

 creamy l)ufP, which extends over the whole under surface, the nape 

 and face being mostly black. It eats snakes, and sits aloft Ijob- 

 bing its head while uttering a gruff "ha-ha." Of the African genus 

 Circaehis one species, C. gallicus Jean-le-blanc of the French 

 extends from Southern and Central Europe to Palestine, India, 

 North China, Timor, and Flores. It is dark brown above, and 

 white with blackish-brown streaks and bars below, the secondaries 

 and tail having white tips, and the latter three dusky cross-bands. 

 This sluggish but bold denizen of the plains may be seen perched 

 on trees, quartering the ground with heavy flapping flight, or 

 anon poising itself aloft on motionless wings, the harsh noisy cry 

 being varied by a twittering note. Snakes form its favourite 

 food, while frogs and fish from the shallows, small mammals, birds, 

 lizards, crabs, and insects add to its daily fare. Tiie bulky nest of 

 sticks, bedded with grass or green leaves, is situated on trees, bushes, 

 or even rocky ledges ; a single bluish -white egg or exceptionally 

 two being deposited. The female sits very closely, and both 

 parents sometimes attack intruders. C. cinereus, of most of the 

 Ethiopian Ptegion, has the chest brownish-black and the belly 

 white ; C. fasciolatus of Natal, and the similar C. heaudouini of 

 Senegal and North-East Africa, have the former part fulvous-brown, 

 and the latter barred with dusky ; C. cinerascens of the east and 

 west of that continent is much greyer below, with narrower bars. 

 Helotarsus ecaudafus of the whole Ethiopian Eegion is black, with 

 maroon back and tail, and a broad grey band across the second- 



^ A list of the Diurnal Birds of Prey, 1884, pi>. 14-18. 



