30 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



soup, should have attracted the attention of the agents 

 of the market-men and restaurant keepers. 



" The final chapter the readjustment of conditions 

 may be briefly told : the marsh became a scene of great 

 activity, where men and boys caught the voracious 

 chelonians, and bags, boxes and barrels of them were 

 shipped away. There was also a depreciation in the 

 value of skunk skins, with a corresponding loss of interest 

 on the part of the trappers ; so the progeny of the sur- 

 viving skunks congregated at the old beach and devoured 

 the eggs of the turtles that had enjoyed a brief period 

 of prosperity. The broods of ducks now remained 

 unmolested and attracted other breeding birds, with the 

 result that the old marsh reverted to its original populous 

 condition." 



In the above case man did accidentally readjust the 

 conditions, but, of course, this is not often the case. 



The true eagles, and the nearly allied hawk eagles, 

 consist of the Black Eagle, the Tawny Eagle, the Martial 

 Hawk Eagle, the Crowned Hawk Eagle, the African 

 Hawk Eagle, the Booted Eagle, the Brown Eagle, and 

 the Crested Hawk Eagle. All these birds are feathered 

 down to the toes. 



The martial hawk eagle is one of the handsomest 

 as well as the largest of the tribe found in Africa. Its 

 range includes the greater part of the Ethiopian region, 

 and though nowhere actually common, in any country 

 well stocked with its natural prey, one or a pair of these 

 grand birds may be often seen sailing high in the air, 

 its white breast gleaming in the sun. 



They prey on game birds of all kinds, hares, lambs 

 and kids, duikers and steenbucks, and the newly born 

 young of larger antelopes if found unprotected, besides 

 iguanas, snakes, and tortoises. I shot one which was 



