420 Lieut. C. G. Finch-Davies on [Ibis, 



13. Circaetus cinereus (Yicill.). Brown Hiivrier-Eaglo. 



I have met witli this Harrier-Eagle both in eastern 

 Ponflolaiul and in tlie Sonth-West Protectorate. In the 

 former country I believe it to be migratory, as I lu^ve only 

 seen it there during the summer months, though in fair 

 numbers. I have usually found it singly, occasionally 

 in pairs, and generally among the mimosa-bush country 

 along the river valleys. These birds seem to be rather 

 sluggish and to spend a considerable time seated on the 

 top of some conspicuous tree, but 1 have occasionally seen 

 them so.iring at a good hcii;ht. and when doing so they liave 

 always appeared to me to resemble large Kites, while the 

 shape of the wings and the fact that the outer tail- 

 feathers are slightly longer than the others add to this 

 resemblance. I l)elicve their food to consist almost entirely 

 of snakes, lizards, mice, and rats, but I once saw an indi- 

 vidual make a very determined stoop at a partridge which I 

 put U[). 



There has been a good deal of discussion from time to 

 time as to whethei- or no this bird and C. pectoralis are 

 one and the same s[)ecies, but I think it is now agreed 

 that they are distinct. (See Mr. W. L. Sclater's Notes, 

 Ibis, 191.2, and :Mr. Claude Grant, Ibis, li)M.) (iurney 

 also discussed the question very fully in 'Tiie Ibis,^ 1878, 

 but at that time did not appear to have come to an\ definite 

 conclusion, while subsccniently in his '^List" he kept the 

 two birds separate. 



Sclater, in his 'Fauna of South Africa' : I'ii'ds, v(d. iii., 

 united the two species ; so for the benefit of those who 

 have not seen accounts of adult and juvenile pUimages. I 

 will give brief descriptions here. The adult is of an nniform 

 dark sepia-brown both above and below, all the feathers 

 strongly glossed Avitli purplish red in some lights ; the tail 

 grey barred with dark Itrowu. The young are very similar 

 in general colour, although perhaj)S of a rather paler bro\\n, 

 and with more or less exposed white bases to the leathers of 

 the under parts. 



