502 MR. W. E. BROOKS ON THE IMPERIAL EAGLE. [Mar. 19, 



centres, as the presence of a similar beak in the parietal bones of 

 scaphocephalic human crania has been used as an argument in favour 

 of Minchin and Von Bar's theory of a single biparietal ossific centre 

 in such cases. The nasals are flat, and project rather further in 

 front of the intermaxillaries than in Dr. Murie's specimen. A thin 

 nasal lamella of the maxillary bone ascends between the nasals and 

 the lachrymal to the anteorbital process of the frontal. The ptery- 

 goid bones are separate on each side ; aud the ossified ligamentum 

 pterygo-spinosum of Civinini is strong and sharp. The sutures 

 between the basioccipital and the basisphenoid, as well as that be- 

 tween the latter and the presphenoid, are widely open. The large 

 rough tubular tympanic is quite loose, and the deep supratympanic 

 fossae are very large. On one side the malleo-incudal bone remained ; 

 and I have made of it the appended sketch (fig. 3). 



Fig. 3. 



Malleo-incudal bone, front and back surfaces. 



The drawings (figs. 1 & 2) accompanying show the principal points 

 of interest herein noted. 



2. On the Imperial Eagles of India. By W. E. Brooks, C.E., 

 Etawah. (Communicated by the Secretary.) 



[Received March 4, 1872.] 



It has been supposed by many that the Indian Imperial Eagles 

 were all referable to one species, which, again, was identical with the 

 European bird. 



The European species, however, the true Aquila imperialis, Bechst., 

 is quite distinct from our Indian birds, as Mr. Howard Saunders 

 has recently shown in the Society's 'Proceedings' (P. Z. S. 1871, 



p. 37). 



The young of the European bird is of a plain tawny brown, and is 

 never lineated. The old bird differs from our Indian species in having 

 white on the ridge of the wing, as well as white scapular feathers. 

 Neither of our Indian birds can, therefore, any longer retain the 

 name of imperialis. 



There are four stages of Imperial Eagle found in India and the 

 East generally. These have been referred to one species by Dr. 

 Jerdon and others, but were kept separate by Mr. Hodgson. 



