1972 THE DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY 



will at times not' disdain a meal of carrion, while they probably carry off an occa- 

 sional lamb or kid. It is related that an instance has occurred of a sea eagle, when 

 attempting to carry off a large salmon, into which it had firmly fixed its talons, 

 being partially dragged under water by its prey, both bird and fish being ultimately 

 secured by a peasant who had witnessed the scene. In India, Pallas' s sea eagle, ac- 

 cording to Mr. Hume, always builds in trees, its nest being very similar to that of 

 the last species, and the eggs laid from November to January. The nest may be 

 occupied for several years, but the construction of a new one demands immense 

 labor on the part of the birds. " I once," writes Mr. Hume, "watched a young pair 

 constantly occupied for a full month, building a new 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 mate- 

 rials, and side by side the pair would work away, throwing down almost as many 

 sticks as they 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 onto the nest and be very busy till the 

 absent bird returned, not unfrequently with a fish instead of a stick. It is a curious 

 fact, that if the female, which is much the larger, brought the fish to the nest, the 

 male set to work on it at once, without so much as ' by your leave ' ; while if the 

 male brought it, the female used to eye it, sidle gradually up, and only take slow 

 and modest mouthfuls. When, however, the female begins to sit, the male will 

 bring her fish or fowl, and go off for other food for himself, not attempting to share 

 it with her; and, when not on the nest, neither seems to presume with the other's 

 capture without permission." The eggs, like those of the other species, are uni- 

 formly colored, being in this case of a pale grayish white; their usual number is 

 three. Like the white-tailed sea eagle, this species will often lay again when its 

 nest is robbed; but, according to Captain Bendire, this is never the case with the 

 American white-headed species. All are agreed that so long as there are merely 

 eggs in the nest Pallas' s sea eagle never makes any attempt at defending its home; 

 and, according to the extensive experience of Mr. Hume, the same is the case after 

 the young are hatched. Hutton relates, however, that a native whom he had sent 

 up a tree to deposit a nest, was once fiercely attacked, at first by the female, and 

 then by both birds in concert; and that it was necessary to disable the eagles by 

 shooting, in order to prevent the man being hurled from the tree. 



Continuing his account of its habits, Mr. Hume states that Pallas' s sea eagle is 

 never found far away from rivers, lakes, or swamps. " Early in the morning, even 

 in the cold weather, it goes down to the water side, and has a good bath. It is 

 amusing to watch this large bird standing up to its belly in water, sitting down, 

 first on one side, then on the other, so as to wash the wings and back, ducking the 

 head in and out, and splashing, spluttering, and fluttering the wings for all the 

 world like a pigeon or sparrow. After its bath, it resorts to the top of some tree, 

 or, along the banks of large rivers, to some craggy point, where it sits for a while 

 sunning itself, generally with its wings half outspread. Thence it flies off heavily 



