THE EAGLE-LIKE SUBFAMILY 



1967 



coast from Senegambia to Angola, and on the opposite side of the continent on 

 Pemba island, near Zanzibar. Although so like a vulture in general appearance, in 

 its habits it much more resembles the sea eagles. According to Reichenow, the 

 vulturine sea eagle is one of the commonest birds on the west coast. Essentially a 

 fish eater, it frequents the sea coast and rivers, and is but rarely seen in the dry 

 highlands of the interior. Its favorite haunts are the wide mangrove swamps bor- 



VUI/TURINE SEA EAGLE. 

 (One-fifth natural size.) 



dering the larger rivers, where it may always be met with in numbers, sometimes 

 associating in pairs, and at other times singly. When seated, it may be easily mis- 

 taken for a vulture, but its flight, although slower, is more like that of a sea eagle. 

 When fishing, it generally flies close to the surface of the water, returning as soon 

 as it has captured a fish to the shore to devour its prey. In the breeding season 

 these birds proceed higher up the rivers, where the trees are taller, and thus afford 



