FROM SPAIN. 496 



VI. 



BONELLI'S EAGLE (Aguila bonelli) AND 

 THE OSPKEY (Pandion Jialiaetus). 



BONELLI'S Eagle is indisputably one of the rarest European 

 birds of prey, for, although the area of its distribution ex- 

 tends over the entire southern part of our continent and some 

 portions of Asia, as well as along the north coast of Africa, it 

 is everywhere extremely uncommon. 



According to earlier records it seems to have occurred in 

 all the provinces of Spain ; but though I have hunted after it 

 frequently, and taken a great deal of trouble to catch sight of 

 it, I have only had two opportunities of doing so. 



When riding along the fortifications on the slope of the 

 rock of Gibraltar I saw a Bonelli's Eagle. It flew low over 

 us, and was a beautifully coloured old bird, with dark back and 

 wings and pure white underparts. I was told by the English 

 officers that its nest was situated on a cliff that fell abruptly 

 down to the sea, and that it had for years been protected from 

 all pursuit. On reaching the highest point of the rock I was 

 shown this well-known eyrie, which is described by that 

 . excellent ornithologist Colonel Irby, in his work on the birds 

 of Gibraltar. 



It was placed on a projecting part of a very high cliff, and 

 we could, from where we stood, get a very good slanting 

 view of its interior. It was well constructed of branches, 

 broom, and grass, and the two almost full-fledged young that 

 it contained were hopping about lustily, and clambering to 

 its edge with outstretched wings. 



This nest is occupied every year, and there is no other on 



