THE EAGLE-LIKE SUBFAMILY 1971 



neck, and under parts, the general tint of the upper surface being gray slightly 

 shaded with brown. This eagle extends from India and Ceylon through the Ma- 

 layan region to Australia. The handsomest of the whole group is the African sea 

 eagle (ff. vocifer], which is smaller than all the northern species, attaining a length 

 of only twenty-five inches in the female. Resembling the white-headed sea eagle, 

 in its white head, neck, and tail, this species, which is figured on p. 1970, is distin- 

 guished by the white area extending on to the interscapular region above and 

 including the breast below, and by the whole of the abdomen, together with the 

 axillaries, being of a deep chestnut hue, while the upper parts are blackish brown, 

 passing into black on the primary quills. The species is confined to Africa, where 

 it ranges over the whole continent. It is replaced in Madagascar by the Madagas- 

 car sea eagle (H. vociferoides} , distinguished by the white being confined to the 

 head and neck, the brown under parts, and the chestnut under wing coverts; the 

 latter characteristic distinguishing it from the larger white-headed sea eagle, in 

 which these coverts are brown. An extinct sea eagle occurs in the Miocene depos- 

 its of France. 



Although several of the species are more commonly found in the neighborhood 

 of the coasts, sea eagles are also met with in the interior of the various continents 

 and islands in the neighborhood of the larger rivers and lakes. Writing of the 

 white-tailed sea eagle, Mr. Seebohm observes that "the haunts of this noble- 

 looking bird are the barren hills of the Hebrides and the adjacent isles, and the wild 

 mountain country of the mainland in the west. On the bold and rocky headlands 

 of this wild, rugged coast, whose hoary peaks are washed by the treacherous waters 

 of the Minch, the sea eagle finds a congenial home. In Pomerania, especially 

 between Stettin and the Baltic, the sea eagle is a common resident, building in for- 

 ests. It builds an enormous nest, sometimes six or eight feet in diameter, near the 

 top of a pine, or on the horizontal branch of an oak or beech, preferring forests near 

 inland seas and large lakes. Instances have been known of its breeding in the same 

 ' horst ' for twenty years in succession. Every year some addition is made to the 

 nest, until it becomes some five or six feet high. Occasionally a pair of sea eagles 

 have two ' horsts ' which are used alternately. They are shy birds and leave the 

 nest at the least alarm, but do not easily forsake their old home. If the eggs are 

 taken early in the season, the birds will frequently lay again in the same nest. 

 They make a very flat nest, and generally line it on the top with moss. The male 

 and female are said to sit alternately, and the female is said to be shyer than the 

 male at the nest. Two is the usual number of eggs, but frequently only one is 

 found; in rare cases as many as three are laid. Eggs may be taken from the first 

 week in March to the middle of April." The nest may be situated either on rocks, 

 in trees, or on the ground. In some countries the cliffs on which it is built are of 

 comparatively easy access; but at the present day in the Hebrides and formerly on 

 the west coast of Ireland, these birds build on ledges of the most stupendous cliffs, 

 where their eyries can only be approached by the aid of a rope lowered from above. 

 Many anecdotes record the boldness of the Irish peasants in thus attacking the 

 strongholds of both golden and sea eagles. The food of the white-tailed sea eagle, 

 like that of its allies, consists chiefly of fish and water fowl; although these birds 



