BIRDS OF PREY 455 



in appearance. The plumage is greyish brown above and greyish white below ; 

 the legs are feathered, the toes bare and brown, the beak black, and the radiating 

 discs of feathers not extending above the eyes; the ear-tufts are grey and brown, 

 with whitish markings. 



Eieonoran Inhabiting the Greek islands as well as central parts of southern 



Falcon. Europe, and also found in Syria and north-western Africa, the 

 Eieonoran falcon (Falco eleonorce), which nests on the bare ground, mostly under 

 shelter of an overhanging rock or bush, is remarkable from the fact of its breeding- 

 time being different from that of all other birds, the two or three eggs not being 

 laid till the beginning of August, or exceptionally the end of July. This peculiarity 

 is probably at least in part connected with the fact that swarms of birds on 

 migration pass through this falcon's nesting-area in August and September, and 

 afford abundance of food for the young. The young leave the nest by the beginning 

 of October, and at the end of that month or in November depart on migration to 

 return in April to their breeding-places. Both sexes of this falcon are dark slate- 

 colour, with a black moustache-mark on the side of the grey throat; the legs and 

 feet and the base of the lower half of the beak being yellow. 



The haunts of the harrier-eagle (Circaetus qallicvs) are marshy 

 Harrier-Eagle. . .... m , 



places on plains, or open forests in hill-country. The eyrie of this 



species is placed in some old and thick tree, occasionally barely at the height of a 

 man from the ground ; it is built of dry twigs and branches, sometimes covered 

 with oak-leaves or fresh beech-twigs, and at other times shaded by a few green 

 branches. In the first half of May it contains one or two eggs : the old birds are 

 so careful of their young that if disturbed they take their offspring away to 

 another eyrie. The food of this eagle consists chiefly of snakes. Seizing these 

 with one foot just behind the head, and the other along the body, it renders them 

 powerless by a bite in the neck, and then swallows them head-first. Its mode of 

 attack, close feathering, and hard scaly feet usualh' protect it from bites, but 

 should it be bitten by a venomous snake it succumbs like most other animals. In 

 addition to snakes, it devours rats and other small mammals, blindworms, and 

 other reptiles, as well as frogs, snails, worms, and fishes. Occasionally found as a 

 breeding-bird in the Palatinate, Silesia, and a few other localities in Germany, it 

 prefers the warmer countries of Europe, such as Spain, Italy, and the Balkan States ; 

 its range extending to India and the Malay Islands. The harrier-eagle is 26 inches 

 in length ; in colour the cere is whitish, the feet are drab brown, the iris is orange- 

 yellow, and the short toes yellow. Above, the plumage is brown, below white with 

 pale brown or rusty grey spots ; the chocolate-brown tail having three black bars. 

 The little bustard (Otis tetrax) is another south European bird, 



Little Bustard. , . . , , . ,, _ , .. V, _ n 



of which a tew stragglers wander as tar north as England and Sweden. 

 In Hungary, upper Italy, the south of France, and especially Spain, it is as common 

 in rough rocky districts and sandy plains as it is in southern Russia about the 

 Caucasus and in the Khirgiz steppes. In winter it crosses the Mediterranean into 

 Africa, and the Asiatic birds cross the Pamirs into north-western India. In 

 Germany it occurs but rarely, although for many years a small flock has been 

 preserved in Thuringia. On arriving at the breeding-grounds the males fight for 

 the females at certain places, which are often trodden as firm as a threshing-floor. 



