110 SAVAGE SUDAN 



speeding by, when, like a bolt from the blue, a big- falcon 

 (probably a peregrine) shot down, sheering right into 

 and through them and clean decapitating one of their 

 number. Such was the pace and the force of impact that 

 the victim, striking the water at an acute angle, re- 

 bounded vertically upwards like a football.] 



To return to my two eagles shot at dawn : The second 

 was a white-headed river-eagle of the kind so common 

 in the Sudan (and throughout Africa), a female, weighing 

 6i Ib. The other was a dark-brown, falcon-built eagle, 

 4! Ib., almost unicolorous, feathered to the toes, but 

 with white feet, the specific status of which is doubtful. 

 The authorities at the British Museum classify it as a 

 tawny eagle (Aquila rapax], in the "dark phase" which 

 that species undoubtedly assumes. That identification, 

 with all deference, I am unable to accept. This white- 

 footed forest eagle is common throughout the wooded 

 plains of Sudan where subsequently I shot others, as 

 well as several of the true tawny eagles both in their 

 lighter and darker phases some of each at their nests. 

 Despite a superficial resemblance, I regard the two 

 species as distinct, so (pending sufficient material becom- 

 ing available to formulate a satisfactory biological analysis) 

 shall provisionally christen that victim of mine : 



WHITE-FOOTED FOREST EAGLE (Aquila albipes). Habitat, 

 plains of Upper Sudan ; type in British Museum, shot on 

 White Nile, 29/1/13. Most nearly approaches the spotted 

 eagle of Europe (Aq. maculatd), showing its close affinity 

 thereto by arrow-headed splashes on the lesser coverts and on 

 the carpal joints of wings both above and below especially 

 during immaturity ; but essentially differing from that species 

 (and equally from the tawny eagle in any phase) by having 

 white feet, whereas in both the last-named the feet are bright 

 yellow. Legs short, in the flesh barely reaching mid-tail. 

 The tawny eagle, moreover, is essentially a camp-follower, 

 coming regularly to " kills," which the above eagle, albipes, 

 never does a specific character not observable in a skin. 



