MiscellaneoiLS. 523 



the sculptured Eagles. It is called Thrasaetus harpyia, or " Crested 

 Eagle." 



Either one of the two following species, also preserved in the 

 collection of the British Museum, is not unlikely to have presented 

 the type of a Crested Eagle to those sculptors, namely, first, Spi- 

 zaetus cirrhatus, or the " Crested Indian Eagle," with its legs 

 feathered to the toes ; inhabiting Nepal and India, it might have 

 been known to the Romans. 



And the second species, Spizaetus coronatus, is a truly fine bird, 

 bearing a large and long crest : it is found in Southern Africa. 

 Although this, like the preceding species, has its tarsi feathered, 

 still this character, being very difficult for the sculptor to represent 

 in stone, may have been purposely omitted. 



I may then add, in concluding, that either this last-named 

 " Crowned Eagle " (S. coronatus) or the A. Desmursii may have been 

 the representative of the Palmyra and Baalbec Eagles ; for I can 

 by no means think that the sculptors executed those admirably 

 finished Crested Eagles in the splendid Temples of the Sun in both of 

 those cities, from their own imagination, and without the aid of an 

 existing natural species to direct them in their measurements of 

 the stone figures, and more especially since that sun-bird was the 

 sacred symbol of the Great Deity in those cities, where the chief 

 worship of Baal, or Apollo, or the Sun had for so many ages pre- 

 vailed, and even become renowned throughout the Roman world. 



Climbing Habits of the Anabas scandens. 



To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 



Gentlemen, — The February Number of the ' Annals of Natural 

 History ' contained an article on the climbing habits of the Anabas 

 scandens, written by Capt. Mitchell, of the Madras Government 

 Central Museum ; and the following extract from a private letter 

 just received from him may be of interest to your readers as tending 

 to confirm the views stated in the paper referred to. 



Captain Mitchell says in his letter : — 



" Rungasawmy brought to the library, two days ago, three live 

 specimens of the Anabas scandens, to show me how it progressed. 

 It was really most amusing to see these creatures scudding along the 

 rattan mat. The great motive agent was evidently the operculum, 

 which they opened and shut with great rapidity, moving first on 

 one side and then on the other. The pectoral fin appeared also to 

 be used ; but I could not see that the tail was of much assistance. 

 So long as the direction of movement was across the rattans, pro- 

 gress seemed tolerably easy ; but one fellow got on the line of the 

 rattans, and seemed much bothered until he changed his direction 

 by a ' right shoulders forward.' I have the three fish in my aqua- 

 rium, where they seem quite at home. They do not appear to breathe 

 like other fish : I have watched one for some minutes without per- 

 ceiving any motion of the lips or operculum." 



Your very obedient Servant, 



London, May 13, 1864. A. C. Brisbane Neill. 



