51G 



MR. H. E. DRESSER ON CERTAIN EAGLES. [May 20, 



The following are the comparative measurements of the four Euro- 

 pean and four Indian Eagles of this group that I have examined : — 



The next question that arises is as to what Pallas's Aquila clanga 

 really is. His description is so vague that it is almost impossible to 

 make it agree with either the Spotted Eagle of Northern Europe, that 

 of Southern Europe, or the bird referred to above under the name 

 of Aquila orientalis. I think it most probable that Naumann was 

 correct in considering that Pallas referred to the large race of Spotted 

 Eagle which is met with in South-eastern Europe, and which, though 

 larger in size, in immature plumage closely resembles the young of the 

 Spotted Eagle of Northern Germany, having also a round nostril, 

 which Aq. orientalis has not. Since I wrote the last paper on Eagles 

 which I exhibited before this Society in December last, I have, as 

 before stated, ascertained that the young of Aq. orientalis is not 

 spotted, and have found reason to surmise that the Spotted Eagle 

 found in South-eastern Europe is the same species as that met with in 

 India. I have referred to the Indian spotless Eagle under the name 

 of Aquila lifasciata, Gray and Hardw., to the Indian Spotted Eagle 

 as Aq. vittata, Hodgs., and to the Volga bird, which is so closely allied 

 to Aq. Lifasciata, as Aquila orientalis, Cab. ; but I am not at all sure 

 that these names will all stand, nor can I say any thing decided on this 

 point until I have carefully worked out the synonymy of the whole of 

 the Spotted Eagles. Cabanis, in proposing the name of Aq. orientalis 

 for the Volga bird (Cab.Journ. 1854, p. 369, footnote), expressly 

 states that the specimens he has examined are three birds obtained 

 from Sarepta through Mr. Moschler, which are now in the Berlin 

 Museum ; but he does not appear to have put his finger on the chief 

 characteristics, as he speaks of it as being similar in character to 

 Aquila ncevia, but as being a much larger and more powerful bird : 

 " sie haben also die Kennzeichen der A. ncevia, weichen aber von 

 dieser durch auffallende Grosse und Starke sehr ab " is what Dr. 

 Cabanis says on the subject; and did he not expressly refer to Sarepta 

 specimens, I should be inclined to believe that he had before him ex- 

 amples of Aquila vittata ; but, like almost all our European ornitho- 

 logists, Dr. Cabanis has mixed up these Eagles together, and it is 



