I 



HAWK-EAGLES. - 221 



colour of the upper-parts is brown, and that of the head, neck, and under-parts 

 fawn, with distinct black shaft-stripes to all the feathers. The range of this fine 

 eagle includes the regions lying on both sides of the Mediterranean, from whence 

 it extends eastwards through Palestine and Syria to Arabia. In India, where it is 

 termed "mohrangi" {i.e. peacock-killer), it is generally only seen in hilly or jungly 

 districts, although it occasionally resorts to neighbouring cultivated ground. It is 

 common in the Nilgiri Hills of Madras, where its nests are often placed on such pre- 

 cipitous cliffs as to be accessible only with the aid of a rope. Passing much of 

 its time on the wing, and invariably visiting certain spots within its beat at almost 

 the same hour day by day, this eagle may be seen when in repose perched either 

 on the summit of some tall tree, or on some rocky prominence. Its prey consists 

 of various game-birds, ducks, herons, and other water - fowl, as well as hares and 

 other small mammals; and it is said at times to carry oft' trained falcons that 

 are employed in hawking. It also occasionally kills peafowl, and is a great marauder 

 in poultry-yards and dove-cots. Jerdon says, in reference to its pigeon-killing 

 habits : " On the pigeons taking flight, one of the eagles pounced down from a vast 

 height on the flock, but directing its swoop rather under the pigeons than directly 

 at them. Its mate, watching the moment when, alarmed by the first swoop, the 

 pigeons rose in confusion, pounced unerringly on one of them, and carried it oft"; 

 and the other eagle, having risen again, also made another, and, this time, a fatal 

 swoop." Nesting in the Nilgiris and Himalaya on rocky cliffs, in the plains of 

 India Bonelli's eagle more generally selects the tall clay banks of the larger rivers 

 on which to build, although instances are known of the nest being placed in trees. 

 In the plains of India the breeding-season is in December and January, but is 

 delayed in the Himalaya till April and May. The nest is four to six feet in 

 diameter, and varies in height from a few inches to a couple of feet ; its summit 

 being always finished off" level, with scarcely any central hollow. The eggs, two 

 in number, are oval in shape, and frequently unspotted, while they are at most but 

 faintly blotched with pale yellowish or reddish brown upon a greyish ground. 

 Bonelli's eagle is a common bird in Spain ; and a pair breed regularly upon the 

 rock of Gibraltar. It is likewise fairly abundant in Palestine. 

 Booted Hawk- The booted, or dwarf hawk-eagle (N. jpennatus) is a far smaller 



Eagle. bircl than the last, and may be compared in size to a kite, the total 

 length of the female being only 24 inches. It may be easily recognised by the 

 conspicuous white patch on the shoulder. In the greater relative length of the 

 wing, and the generally brown colour of the iris, it diflfers from the two more 

 typical members of the genus, and approaches the true eagles, although it has the 

 characteristic long legs of the present group. This bird is subject to great variation 

 with regard to the colour of the plumage of the under-parts; a diflference which 

 was long considered to be due to age, and has given rise to much discussion. Dr. 

 Sharpe, for instance, considered that the dark-coloured variety represented on the 

 left of our illustration on p. 222 was the immature dress, while the light individual 

 on the right was an individual in the adult plumage. Dr. Scully, w^riting from 

 observations made in Gilgit, states, however, that in that district " the dark and light 

 forms are about equally common, the difference in colour not being dependent 

 upon sex." And he adds that he captured a nestling with white under-parts, thus 



