22 FALCONIDJl. 



that it was so tractable as to be employed in Falconry, 

 but would only attack small or weak animals, and was 

 otherwise deficient in courage. M. Viellot includes this 

 species in his Birds of France, and mentions that it preys 

 upon pigeons, rats, and particularly upon ducks, from 

 which latter circumstance it has been called anataria. 

 It builds on high trees, laying two whitish eggs, slightly 

 streaked with red, and it feeds on small quadrupeds and 

 birds. 



This species has been killed in Belgium, and is included 

 by MM. Meyer, Brehm, and Naumann in their histories 

 of the Birds of Germany; it is found also in Russia 

 and Siberia, but not, I believe, in Denmark, Sweden, 

 or Norway. 



South of the countries of Europe first mentioned, this 

 Eagle is found in Provence, according to Polydore Roux 

 and M. Schembri ; and M. Savi includes it in his Birds 

 of Italy. M. Malherbe says this species inhabits the 

 centre of Sicily. One nest was discovered, containing 

 two Eaglets and a mass of bones and skeletons of rabbits 

 and reptiles ; but that which created the greatest surprise 

 was to find, underneath this large nest, seven nests of the 

 Tree Sparrow, containing eggs and young birds ; and 

 these little Finches seemed to apprehend no danger in 

 establishing themselves thus near the habitation of so for- 

 midable an enemy. 



This Eagle is not found in Malta, but is said to inhabit 

 North Africa, and is included by M. Savigny in his Birds 

 of Egypt under the name of Aquila melancetos. It has 

 been taken as far south as Kordofan. 



M. Menetries, the Russian Naturalist, in his catalogue 

 of the zoological subjects obtained by him in the vicinity 

 of Mount Caucasus, says, page 27, "I killed on the 



