436 Lieut. C. G. Fiiicli-Duvies on [Ibis, 



tlie change from juvenile to adult plumage was somewhat 

 gradual, as in Spizaetus curonatus. Thus 1 have seen im- 

 mature specimens in which the feathers of the upper surface, 

 althouj^h otherwise dark brown as in the adult, had broad 

 pale edges; the leathei's of tlie upper breast the same. 



It seems to nu' that it will be necessary to form a new 

 subgenus for this species, as it does not a|)pear to be con- 

 gcnerie with the members of the genus Nisaetus. Hy Sharpe 

 and some other authois it was placed in the genus Spiza'ctusx 

 but although U. iesend)les <S'. curotia/its in the shape of the 

 bill, in the possession of a crest, and in the juvenile and 

 adult |)lumages, the proportions of the wing and tail are 

 ([uite different. 



31'. Nisaetus spilogaster (Bon.). African Hawk-Eagle. 



I have only met with this species in the South-West 

 Protectorate, and it was by no means common in those 

 j)arts in which 1 have collected, so that I liave had little 

 op[)()rtunity of observing its habits. f'rom what 1 have 

 observed it is an entirely game-killing Magic, with habits 

 very similar to its near relative in Europe. A', f/iscia/iis'. 

 One wliich 1 shot had been feeding on a guinea-fowl, 

 another had the greater part of the hind leg of a hare in 

 its crop, and I saw another pursuing s mie tame |)igcons. 



1 have not much to note with regard to |)luinage-changes, 

 but would draw attention to the fact that it appears to moult 

 directly from the juvenile to the adult plunnige: while signs 

 of immaturity are observable for some time in a rufous 

 edging to many of the feathers of the sides of the liead, neck, 

 and ear-coverts, and also in rufous tips to the feathers of the 

 uiuler parts, cs[)ecially on the thighs, — in fact, I have rarely 

 met with a s|)ecimen which has not had some sign of the 

 riifoiis shading on the thighs. I have recently seen a vt-ry 

 fine adult nuile living in the Zoological Gardens at Johannes- 

 l)urg which has struck tne as being renuirkable. in that the 

 dark streaks on the breast and flanks arc; much broader than 

 usual, covering the greater pai't of the feathers ; the thighs 

 are also strongly streaked with black. 



