VULTURES, EAGLES, ETC. 245 



Both species are common throughout the Sundarbans, 

 and astonishingly abundant in the endless swamps 

 on the lower part of the Surma River. In that 

 region, Pallas' fishing-eagles are present in well-nigh 

 incredible numbers at the time when the floods of 

 the rainy season are subsiding, and the marshes are 

 becoming a very paradise of migrant ducks and 

 waders. They may then be seen sitting in rows 

 along the muddy banks, and flying low overhead 

 in twos and threes ; the air resounds with their 

 strange, barking cries ; and almost all the great trees 

 that begin to fringe the stream where the land 

 becomes a little higher, are loaded with the huge 

 stacks of dead wood forming their nests, in which 

 they sit and scold at every passing boat. 



Another eagle that sometimes makes its appear- 

 ance among the trees of large gardens is the crested 

 serpent-eagle, Spilornis cheela. When in good 

 plumage they are very handsome birds, owing to 

 the beautiful way in which their lower plumage is 

 variegated with white ocelli bordered by dark brown 

 rings. 



Peregrine falcons regularly visit many towns in 

 Upper India during the winter months, but only 

 occasionally appear in Calcutta, and, when they do 

 so, seldom make any prolonged stay within urban 

 limits. They are not, however, very uncommon, 

 and are wonderfully bold and familiar. During the 

 course of my last winter's residence in India, a very 



