164 FALCONIDJi. 



variably met with at least one pair every 3 or 4 miles, and in par- 

 ticular localities every half mile ! 



The nest is a huge platform of sticks, some of which are often 

 as thick as a man's arm, with a superstructure of thinner sticks 

 and twigs, and with only a slight depression towards the interior, 

 which is lined with fine twigs and green leaves, occasionally inter- 

 mingled with rushes and straw. 



The nest is usually placed in a broad fork, near the very top of 

 the tree, on branches that seem scarcely strong* enough to support 

 the huge mass, and is sometimes occupied by the same pair for 

 many successive seasons. 



I do not think that this species ever takes possession of other 

 birds' nests. It either builds a new one for itself, or repairs one 

 formerly belonging to it, even though this may in the interim have 

 been usurped by Otogyps calvus or Kettipa ceylonensis, both much 

 addicted to annexing the poor Fishing Eagle's laboriously-con- 

 structed nest. I say laboriously constructed, because I once 

 watched a young pair constantly occupied for a full mouth building 

 a nest, which they were still at work finishing off when I left. 

 Nothing can seem rougher or more rugged than their nest when 

 finished, and yet out of every four sticks and branches that they 

 brought they rejected and threw down at least three. Both birds 

 brought materials, and side b}' side the pair would work away, 

 throwing down almost as many sticks as they had brought; then 

 apparently they would quarrel over the matter there would be a 

 great squealing and one would fly away and sit sulky on some 

 cliff-point near at hand ; after a time the one left on the nest 

 would go off in quest of materials. Immediately, the other would 

 drop softly on to the nest and be very busy (though what they 

 did, except lift a stick and put it down in the same place, it was 

 impossible, even with a good glass, to make out) till the absent 

 bird returned, not unfrequently, with a fish instead of a stick. 



One curious point about these birds is that, unlike most Eagles, 

 they do not always desert a plundered nest. I have twice taken 

 single eggs out of nests, and ten or twelve days later, on re-exa- 

 mining the same nests, in consequence of observing the birds still 

 hanging about the place, I found that a couple more eggs had been 

 laid since my last visit. 



It does not do to dogmatize about the habits of birds. I have 

 examined fully fifty nests of this species, some containing eggs and 

 some young ones, and were I to trust to my own personal ex- 

 perience alone, I should certainly assert that the old birds never 

 show the least fight in defence of their homes and progeny. 

 Nevertheless, one of our most accurate observers certifies to their 

 excessive pugnacity when they have young. Captain Hutton, in 

 the ' Journal of the Asiatic Society,' remarks : 



" I notice this species because Captain Tick ell states that it 

 never makes the slightest attempt at defending its nest a striking 

 contrast to the marvellous tales we read of concerning the Golden 

 Eagle in the Highlands of Scotland, &c. This remark is correct 



