370 FALCONIDJS. 



This genus has been classed with the Ospreys, but it agrees with 

 other Eagles in anatomy, and the feathers have an aftershaft. There 

 are two species, both Indian. They are inland birds, and prefer 

 rivers to the sea. 



Key to tlie Species. 



a. Basal three-fourths of all tail-feathers white 



in adults, mottled in younpr P. ichthyaetus, p. 370. 



b. Middle tail-feathers brown throughout P. humilis, p. 371. 



1226. Polioaetus ichthyaetus. The Large Grey-headed 

 Fishing-Eagle. 



Falco ichthyeetus, Horsf. Tr. Linn. Soc. xiii, p. 136 (1821). 

 Ichthyaetus horsfieldi, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xi, p. 110 (1842). 

 Pontoaetns ichthyaetus, Blyth, Cat. p. 30 ; Layard, A. M. N. H. (2) 



xii, p. 101. 



Pandion ichthyaetus, Horsf. fy M. Cat. i, p. 52. 

 Polioaetus ichthyaetus, Kaup in Jardine's Cont. Orn. 1850, p. 73 ; 



Jerdon, B. I. i, p. 81 ; Blyth, Ibis, 1866, p. 243 ; 1872, p. 88 ; 



Godw.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xxxix, pt. 2, p. 265 ; Hume, Rough 



Notes, p. 239; Jerdon, Ibis, 1871, p. 336 ; Hume, N. *# E. p. 43; 



8. F. iil, p. 28 ; v, pp. 10, 129 : xi, p. 11 ; id. Cat. no. 41 ; Sharpe, 



Cat. B. M. p. 452 ; Legge, 8. F. iii, p. 362 ; id. Birds Ceyl. p. 72 ; 



Armstrong, S. F. iv, p. 298 ; Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi, p. 16 ; 



Ball, S. F. vii, p. 199 ; Cripps, 8. F. vii, p. 248 ; xi. p. 11, note ; 



Gurney, Ibis, 1878, p. 456 ; Bingham, S. F. viii, p. 191 ; ix, p. 144 ; 



Reid, S. F. x, p. 8 ; Gates, B. B. p. 221 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 39 ; 



Parker, Ibis, 1886, p. 183 ; Oates in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. iii, 



p. 167. 



The White-tailed Sea-Eagle, Jerdon ; Madhuya, H. ; Machmoral t 

 Beng. ; Rajaliya, Cing. 



Coloration. Head and neck all round ashy grey, with more or 

 less distinct whitish shaft-stripes, crown of head and nape brownish ; 

 back and wings, rump, upper tail-coverts, and terminal 2 to 3 

 inches of tail dark brown, the upper back a little paler ; breast 

 rather lighter brown than back, abdomen and basal two-thirds of 

 all tail-feathers white. 



Young birds are light brown, with pale edges to the feathers, 

 those of the head, neck, upper back, and lower parts with whitish 

 shaft-stripes ; the quills are barred, and the basal portion of the 

 tail mottled brown and white. 



Bill dark brown, basal two-thirds of lower mandible bright 

 plumbeous ; cere and iris brown ; legs and feet china white ; claws 

 black (Oates). Iris clear yellow, sometimes tinged with reddish and 

 mottled with brown (Legge}. 



Length about 29 ; tail 11 ; wing 19 ; tarsus 3-7 ; bill from gape 

 2 : males rather less. Ceylon and Malacca birds are rather smaller 

 than those from Northern India and Burma. 



Distribution. Throughout the greater part of the Peninsula of 

 India, in suitable localities, from the base of the Himalayas, but 



