FALCONHLR 



at the tip. Under parts, pale fulvous ; almost white on the 

 chin and throat ; streaked on the two latter, and blotched 

 on the former with brown. Thighs rufous, faintly blotched 

 with fulvous. Vent feathers pale fulvous. Length 1' 8" ; 

 wing, 14" ; tail, 7". Irids yellow. 



Not common, but widely distributed. A specimen lived for some 

 time in my taxidermist's work-room, and would eagerly answer to his 

 name, when called, by day or night. He would come to the hand and 

 take from our fingers the bodies of the birds skinned for mounting, 

 or pounce from his perch upon any stray mouse that ventured near 

 him. 



Fully adult birds become throughout of a deep rufous-brown, 

 blotched with dark markings. In this stage they constitute Le Vail- 

 lant's species, called Le Rougri, Ois d' Af., PL 17. 



The note of this bird is a weak stridulous scream. It frequents 

 open country dotted with jungle, and is found also in the forest about 

 George and the Knysna. 



The Sub-Family, 



AQUILINE, or Eagles, 



have the bill moderate, the culraen elevated and straight at 

 the base, and then much, arched to the tip, which is hooked 

 and acute ; the sides much compressed, and the lateral mar- 

 gins more or less festooned : the nostrils placed in front of 

 the cere, large and generally oval ; the wings lengthened 

 and acute, with the third, fourth, and fifth quills usually 

 the longest ; the tail long, ample, and mostly rounded at the 

 end ; the tarsi long, clothed with feathers to the base of the 

 toes, or naked and covered with variously- formed scales ; 

 the toes long, strong, united at the base, especially the 

 outer, and the lateral toes unequal both in length and 

 strength, the inner being the strongest ; the claws long, 

 strong, much curved and acute, that of the inner toe the 

 strongest 



Genus AQUILA, Moehring. 



Bill strong, straight at the base, and with the apical por- 

 tion of the culmen much curved to the tip, which is greatly 

 hooked and acute ; th sides much compressed, and the 

 lateral margins festooned ; the nostrils placed in the cere 

 large, and rather oblique. Wings lengthened and acute, 

 with the fourth and fifth quills equal and longest. Tail 

 long and wedge-shaped, or rounded at the end. Tarsi rather 

 larger than the middle toe, robust, and entirely clothed to 

 the base of the toes with feathers. Toes moderate, strong, 

 lateral ones unequal, and all armed with strong, curved, 

 acute claws ; the inner the strongest. 



