1875.] RAPTORIAL BIRDS OF INDIA. 21 
article on this Eagle), ¢.e. the adult bird minus the white sca- 
pulars. 
The first two changing Imperials which proved the key towards 
the solution of this (hitherto) vexed question* are now in the Nor- 
wich Museum, and form Nos. 2 & 3 of the series alluded to at p. 2 
of ‘ Birds of Europe.’ 
The Abyssinian Eagle referred to by Dr. Finsch under the term 
“imperialist is of course A, mogilnik. Very recently an imma- 
ture example of the same bird was sent to me from Aden; it flew 
against the telegraph-wire and was captured alive. 
27 bis. Aquiua BiFasciaTa, Gray & Hard. 
On account of the recent discussion that has taken place f relative 
to the distinctness or otherwise of 4. orientalis from A. bifasciata, I 
have secured a very fine series of this Eagle. The acquisition, too, 
of several specimens of this bird from Russia (labelled 4. clanga, by 
which term it is known to continental naturalists) has afforded Mr. 
Brooksand myself another opportunity of reexamining the large series 
at our command ; and we still hold to our former opinion, viz. that 
as regards coloration in every phase of plumage, including the adult 
bird with the nuchal buff patch, the two Eagles are identical. 
It is true that the European-killed examples we examined are a 
_ trifle smaller, the wing-measurements of the males being Aa/f an inch 
and in the case of females ove inch less than Indian specimens. But 
against this (admitted) trivial difference, as regards size, in a bird 
measuring up to 32 inches in length, it should be borne in mind (1) 
that no reliance can be placed on the sexing of birds that are ob- 
tained from dealers (especially in this Eagle, for I have repeatedly 
found large males running into females), and (2) that in all proba- 
bility the smallest specimens are sent out to this country, the largest, 
and consequently the best in the estimation of dealers, being retained 
for European collections. Colour is another point mooted by Mr. 
Gurney ; but this really goes for nothing, seeing that in this country 
we have dark birds as well as light-coloured ones ; and I possess 
specimens that have been bleached to a rufescent sandy colour. 
Mr. Gurney has been so good as to inform me that he has reex- 
amined the type of Aguila amurensis, Swinhoe, and that he has no 
doubt that it is an adult female of 4. bifasciata. Such being the 
case, the wing-measurement as given by Mr. Swinhoe §, viz. 26} 
inches, must surely be wrong; for I have never yet seen more thana 
24-inch wing in this Eagle. 
Referring to the concluding portion of Mr, Gurney’s letter in ‘ The 
Ibis’ for 1873, page 99, I may mention having recently sent to him 
a very fine female A. difusciata in the phase of plumage he therein 
alludes to. The peculiarity observed by Mr. Gurney is more more or 
less common in all immature birds; and the specimen I have sent to 
* Cf. P. Z. S. 1872, pp. 620 & 621. + Cf. Trans, Z. 8. vol. vii. p. 201. 
{ Cf. ‘Ibis’ 1873, pp. 422 & 423, and ‘ Stray Feathers,’ vol. i. p. 329. 
§ Cf. P. Z. 8. 1871, p. 338. 
