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DIURNAL BIRDS OF PREY. 



measuring 26 inches, against 32 in the largest African species. It is thus rather 

 larger than a kite. The general colour of the adult bird is dark brown, with a 

 purplish gloss above, and the head tending to ashy brown, the quills being dusky 

 black. The tail is pale ashy brown, with a white tip, and three dusky trans- 

 verse bars. Beneath, the colour is white, the throat narrowly streaked with brown, 

 and with a black shaft-stripe to each feather ; while the flanks are banded with 



COMMON HARRIER-EAGLE ( nat. size). 



widely separated dark bars. The iris is orange-yellow, the cere whitish, the bill 

 horn-coloured at the tip and grey at the base, and the feet pale greyish brown. 

 Jerdon writes that in India this harrier - eagle is spread over all the more open 

 parts of the country, generally avoiding thick jungle and forest. " It may often be 

 seen sitting on a low tree, whence it occasionally darts on its quarry ; but it 

 generally circles in the air, taking a long and lofty flight, now and then flying 

 heavily along the ground like a harrier. I have frequently seen it hover in the air 

 like a kestrel, and drop down on its prey, like a stone, afterwards. It is a rather 



