21 



SPOTTED EAGLE, 



Aquila ncevia, GOULD. 



" melanaetos, SAVIGNY. 



Falco navius, 



AquilaAn Eagle. Nccvus A spot. 



THE Spotted Eagle is an inhabitant of most parts of Europe, 

 having been observed in France, Belgium, Italy, where among 

 the Apennines it is very common; Germany, Sicily, and Eussia; 

 also in the northern districts of Africa, and in Asia, in India, 

 in Siberia, the Bengal territory, Nepal, and near- Calcutta. As 

 in the case of the Griffon Vulture, only one example of this 

 addition to our native Fauna, has, as yet, been obtained for 

 preservation. It is singular also, that the one in question, 

 occurred in the same neighbourhood as the other alluded to, 

 namely, in the county of Cork. It was shot in the month of 

 January, in the year 1845, in the act of devouring a rabbit, 

 in a fallow field, on the estate of the Earl of Shannon, near 

 Castle Martyr. Another individual in lighter plumage, no 

 doubt its mate, was killed at the same place, about the same 

 time, but unfortunately was not preserved: both had been 

 observed for the two preceding months sweeping over the low 

 grounds in the neighbourhood. It has been thought that very 

 probably this species has been confounded in Ireland with the 

 Golden Eagle, and that it may be indigenous there, both the 

 specimens above mentioned having been in immature plumage. 

 It has by some been asserted, that it is a common species in 

 that country, and known by the name of the Silver Eagle. 

 One is said to have been kept in captivity at Cahirciveen, and 

 a pair are related to have bred regularly on the island of 

 Valentia. 



Cuvier says, that it was formerly employed in falconry, but 

 that being deficient in courage, it was only employed for taking 

 the smaller kinds of game. It seems to form one of the con- 

 necting links between the Eagles and the Buzzards, as I have 

 in a previous article stated that the Sea Eagle seems, in like 



