1920.] Siovth African Accipilres. 600 



figured under the niinie of Aquila desrnursi. The figure in 

 the foreground of the same plate more nearl\^ represents 

 the normal plumage of the young hird. I have seen several 

 specimens. Two of these, in the Transvaal Museuui, have 

 the bases of the quills of the wings still in the sheath. These 

 may be described as siuiilar to the adult but paler ; the tips 

 of all the feathers of the u[)per surface rather paler. It would 

 appear tliat these pale tips persist for some time as the bird 

 progresses towards maturity, especially on the scapulars and 

 wing-coverts, and I have seen specimens with all the feathers 

 of the nape and back of neck with broad pale, almost whitish 

 edges and tips. What 1 take to be the fully adult dress is 

 a uniform deep se|)ia-brown with a purplish gloss. There 

 is a very fine adult feuiale in the Transvaal Museum in this 

 dress shot at a nest in Swaziland. 



I have here followed Gurney in placing this species in the 

 geuus Aquila^ though Reichenow and some recent authors 

 have changed it to Hieraetus ; but to me it does not seem 

 rightly placed in the latter genus, as although in the posses- 

 sion of a small crest and in size it agrees with some of the 

 species, the form of the bill and the coloration are different. 

 I would suggest that it might best be placed among the 

 Spotted Eagles, A. clanya, 2)omarina, hastata, etc. 



39. Aquila rapax (Temm.). Tawny Eagle. 



This is a rather common Eagle in the South-West Pro- 

 tectorate, the only part of South Africa in which I have 

 met with it. It has always appeared to me to be a rather 

 sluggish bird, spending much of its time perched on the top 

 of some large thorn-tree from which it can command the 

 surrounding countiy, and I have rarely seen it soaring. 

 I have never seen it attack any kind of living prey, 

 although uo doubt it does kill hares and other small 

 mammals as well as game-birds, etc., and also, when it 

 gets the chance, sickly or wounded small antelopes, as 

 described and figured by Millais in his ' Breath from the 

 Veldt.' It is often a foul feeder^ and I have often seen 

 it feeding on carrion, and have caught some in traps 



