AQUILINE. 39 



posteriorly with .some large, somewhat irregular scales, exter- 

 nally and internally with very small scales ; feet large, toes nearly 

 covered above with large scutse ; lateral toes nearly equal ; 

 middle and outer-claws about equal, less than the hind-claw ; 

 claws rounded. 



Poliosetus ichthysetus, Horsf. 



41. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 81 ; Hume's Scrap Book, 

 p. 239. 



THE WHITE-TAILED SEA EAGLE. 



Length, 27 to 29 ; wing 19 ; tail, 8'5 ; tarsus, 3'5 ; weight, 4 Ibs. 



Bill and cere blackish ; irides brown. 



Adult with the head, lores, ears, chin, and throat light grey, 

 the rest of the plumage light wood-brown, darkest above, lighter 

 beneath, and deepening on the scapulars and wings ; lower ab- 

 domen, vent, thigh-coverts, and tail white, the latter with a broad 

 terminal dark brown band. 



The young bird is lighter brown above, all the feathers edged 

 and tipped with whitish ; beneath pale reddish-brown with pale 

 mesial streaks, and albescent on the under tail-coverts ; tail 

 mottled and clouded with light cinereous and brown. 



Dr. Jerdon says : " This Fish-Eagle is found over a considerable 

 part of India, but is rare towards the south. Mr. Elliot met 

 with in it Dharwar. I never observed it myself south of the 

 Nerbudda." And again : " I found its nest on several occasions ; 

 once near the Nerbudda, in a large tree." 



GENUS, Haliaetus, Savigny. 



Bill straight at base, longish, compressed, curved towards the 

 tip, which is much hooked ; upper mandible with the margin strong- 

 ly sinuate ; nostrils somewhat oblong, transverse ; wings long, 

 fourth and fifth quills sub-equal and longest ; tail moderate or 

 rather short ; tarsus moderate, strong, plumed for nearly half 

 its length, the lower half with large transverse scutse in front 

 and a short and more irregular series behind ; or with a few and 

 irregular ones in front above, and the whole of the rest reticu- 

 lated with small scales, hexagonal, or irregular ; toes large, covered 

 with scutse ; outer-toe scarcely mobile ; claws large, unequal, 

 squared beneath, well curved. 



Haliaetus leucoryphus, Pall. 



42. Haliaetus fulviventer, Vieill. Jerdon's Birds of India, 

 Vol. I, p. 82 ; H. Macei, Cuv. ; Butler, Guzerat ; Stray Feathers, 

 Vol. Ill, p. 447 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 82 ; 

 Hume's Scrap Book, p. 242. 



THE RING-TAILED SEA EAGLE. 

 . Length, 29 to 31 ; expanse, 75 to 79 ; wing, 21 to 22 ; tail, 



11 to 12 ; tarsus, 375 to 4 ; bill from gape, 2'25 to 2'43. 



