82 



Nearly as large as S. cheela cheela ; length 

 (^ 27 in. ; wing 18.5-19 in., tail 13 in. ; 

 darker above and below ; tail with the 

 central pale band narrower ; throat and ear- 

 coverts blackish brown ; chest nearly uniform 

 brown, but showing vermiculations in some 

 (less old) birds ; below darker and more 

 cinnamon brown ; wing-coverts darker and 

 browner ; primaries below with black areas 

 much increased and little white. 

 21 7g, Spilornis cheela hoya Swinhoe, Ibis, 1866, Formosa, 

 p. 304. [Formosa.'] 

 Formosan Serpent -Eagle. 



Smaller ; wings reachmg to middle of pale 

 tail band ; wing (Brit. Mus. ex.) (J 13.75-15 

 in. (northern largest) ? 14.50-15 in. ; $ (type 

 Pahang) 14.60 in. ; above dark brown ; wing- 

 coverts sparingly marked with minute spots 

 of white ; secondaries not visibly tipped with 

 white ; tail with median brownish white band 

 about 2 in. wide and irregular narrow basal 

 one [in oldest birds base only brownish], the 

 2 black bands about 1 .50 in. wide ; throat and 

 cheeks and ear-coverts slate brown * ; below 

 darker, browner and duller than S. c. 

 rutherfordi ; fore neck and chest nearly 

 uniform with only slight traces of vermicula- 

 tions ; white spots on breast and abdomen 

 broader, larger and more regular, in the form 

 of remains of transverse bars ; under wing- 

 covert rufous brown, with very large spots 

 of white, edge of wing white ; primaries 

 below with the median black markings con- 

 centric on inner webs instead of forming 

 bands, the terminal black and subterminal 

 white bands about 2.25 in. wide. 



* Malacca birds usually have the subterminal tail band whiter, throat 

 and hind cheeks greyer, and are lighter below : chest fulvous to brown, either 

 uniform or slightly vermiculated (less old birds). Although examples from 

 various parts of the Malayan peninsula vary I think it best to make one race 

 for the whole peninsula, and I have vmited with it the Sumatran birds which 

 occur not only in the lighter plumage described, but in a much darker plumage, 

 approaching the Javan form {S. c. hido), although a trifle smaller and with 

 the throat paler and greyer ; the tail, under wing-coverts and under surface 

 of primaries are similar to those of S. c. hido however. Had it not been for 

 the occurrence of this dark race in Perak and of the lighter Malay race in 

 Sumatra it would be necessary to separate the Sumatran form. 



