THE SPOTTED EAGLE. 187 



of tawny, brown and grey ; upper tail-coverts white ; under wing-coverts 

 centred with pale fulvous ; the whole lower plumage, from the breast 

 downwards, fulvous-brown with dark brown edges; chin, throat and breast 

 uniform dark hair-brown; under tail-coverts white; thighs mixed pale 

 fulvous and dark purplish brown ; tarsi nearly uniform brown, becoming 

 fulvous or whitish near the toes. 



Iris, gape and cere pale yellow ; middle part of the bill plumbeous, the 

 tip dark brown; eyelids and orbital skin pale pinkish flesh-colour; toes 

 pale yellow ; claws black. 



Length 26 inches, tail 10, wing 19' 5, tarsus 4, bill from gape 2' 3. These 

 are the average dimensions of three young males. The female is con- 

 siderably larger, the wing being 2] '5 and the tail 11*5. 



I have described above the only three Spotted Eagles I ever procured 

 in Burmah. Those birds which visit the Province will probably always be 

 found to be immature, and consequently in a plumage somewhat similar 

 to those above described*. 



The very young bird is characterized by having buff streaks on the head 

 and neck ; otherwise they are in much the same plumage as above 

 described. The general colour of the old bird, according to Mr. Sharpe, 

 is pale brown, and there are no traces of spots on the wing-coverts and 

 scapulars ; but according to Mr. Anderson and Mr. Dresser, the adult 

 plumage is a uniform dark brown, with some white feathers on the tarsi. 

 These white feathers appear to be a characteristic feature of this Eagle at 

 all ages. 



The Spotted Eagle visits Burmah during the winter months in small 

 numbers. I procured three birds at the junction of the Canal with the 

 Pegu river, and Capt. Feilden procured it at Thayetmyo. Mr. Blyth 

 records it from Arrakan, and Colonel Tickeil states that he got it in 

 Tenasserim. 



This Eagle has a very wide range, being found over a considerable 

 portion of Asia, Europe and Africa. 



It frequents by preference well-watered and swampy localities, and it 

 appears to feed largely on frogs. The nest is placed on a tree, and the 

 eggs, two or three in number, are white blotched with red. 



This Eagle and the next may be separated from the others by their 

 rounded nostrils. 



* I have paid no great attention to the Eagles ; for they are very scarce in Burinah, 

 and there is consequently no opportunity of collecting a series. 



