14 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA, 



seen of this beautiful bird, a young p , describes it as not uncommon in 

 the neighbourhood of Traka. He writes : " The crested eagle is a 

 gentleman of low tastes ! One was eating an owl (8. Capensis) the 

 other day ! Tom could easily have shot him, but mistook him for a 

 young Buteo Jackal. He is not uncommon about George, and not at 

 all difficult to get at : sits for hours on a naked pole. I saw several 

 during my survey, and might have bagged at least four, but had no gun 

 with me." 



Le Vaillant says they build on lofty trees, and line their nests thickly 

 with feathers and wool ; lay two round eggs, blotched with brownish- 

 red. 



17. Spizaetus Spilogaster. B P . Rev. Zooi., 



1850, p. 487. Sp. Zonurus, Muller, Naum., 1851, Part 

 IV., p. 27. Sp. Ayrem, Gurney, Ibis., 1862, p. 149, 

 pi. 4. Sp. Leucostigma, Heugh. 



ABOVE, dark ashy brown, variegated with white; rump 

 inclining to brown ; each feather tipt with white; tail dark 

 ash, barred with very dark-brown, tipt with white. Under 

 parts white ; more or less streaked and blotched on the flanks 

 with clear dark-brown. Thighs and legs white ; feathered to 

 the toes. Legs and cere yellow; eyes greenish yellow. 

 Length, 19"; wing, 13"; tail, 8". 



This pretty little eagle here described is, doubtless, rightly identified 

 by my friend, Mr. Sclater, Secretary of the Zoological Society, who 

 writes : " Your bird is probably a small male of S. Spilogaster. It 

 agrees well with a specimen, ex Gulam, in the Derby Museum, except 

 (1) in smaller dimensions, (2) shafts of primaries are black, not white, 

 (3) white edging at the extremity of tail is more distinct." 



S. A. Museum specimen > Length, 17"; wing, 13"; tail, 7". 



Derby Museum do., 9 . Length, 22" ; wing, 16" ; tail, 10". 



My specimen was taken alive in the neighbourhood of Cape Town, 

 probably wounded by a gun-shot. He lived a few days in my posses- 

 sion, and was remarkably bold and fearless. He eat everything thrown 

 to him raw meat, birds, rats, and even fish. I have never seen 

 another specimen in any collection which I have examined, and con- 

 clude, therefore, that it must be very rare in South Africa. 



Genus CIRCAETUS, Vieillot. 



Bill robust, rather straight at its base ; convex above, 

 compressed on the sides ; cutting margin of the upper man- 

 dible nearly straight, the tip hooked ; under mandible 

 straight, the tip obtuse. Nostrils oval, transverse. Tarsi 

 naked, thick, and lengthened, covered with reticulated scales. 

 Toes rather snort, the hinder and lateral nearly equal. Claws 

 rather short, nearly of equal length, and but slightly curved ; 

 the anterior and posterior the strongest. Wings long ; the 

 third quill the longest. 



