CRESTED EAGLES. 217 



the under wing-coverts are also mostly white. The tail has dark bars. The bill 

 is bluish, with a black tip ; the cere and feet are yellow, and the claws black. 

 This eagle is one of the most widely distributed of African Accipitrines, rang- 

 ing all over that continent, from the Cape to the Red Sea, wherever there are 

 wooded districts. It frequents mountains and plains alike ; and is even represented 

 in such of the open regions as have patches of mimosa-jungle, more especially on 

 the river-banks. In the wooded parts of the upper Nile it is especially common ; 

 where it may be seen sitting placidly among the branches of a mimosa, not far 

 removed from the main stem. From this coign of vantage it watches for its joi^ey, 

 swooping down like lightning upon any mouse, rat, ground-squirrel, or dove, or other 

 small bird that may come within its range. In its general habits it is very similar 

 to the crested eagles, and, for its size, is one of the most powerful and active of the 

 Accipitrines. In addition to small mammals and birds, it consumes numbers of 

 lizards and snakes, and also eats fish and frogs ; while, when hard pressed, it will 

 resort to carrion. It has been seen perched on a branch in the neighbourhood 

 of a slaughter-house, watching its opportunity to feast on the oftal or to seize a 

 bone. Little is known of its breeding-habits, although it is said to nest in trees, 

 and lay two nearly round eggs, of a pale ground-colour blotched with reddish 

 brown. 



There is a difference of opinion among; ornitholop-ists as to the 

 Crested Eagles. . . " ° 



best English name to be applied to the members of the present genus, 



some terming them hawk-eagles, while by others they are designated crested eagles. 

 In the British Museum the latter designation is adopted, and the term hawk-eagles 

 applied to the members of the genus Hisaetus; and it is this ruling which is followed 

 here. These eagles are readily distinguished by the crest (occasionally absent) being 

 very much smaller than in the African crested eagle, and b}' their shorter wings. 

 The beak is short, sharply curved at the tip, and with a prominent festoon ; the 

 toes are large, and very unequal ; and the claws strong and much curved. The 

 genus is represented by a considerable number of species, and has a very wide geo- 

 graphical distribution. It is spread all over Africa, the Indian and Malayan regions, 

 Celebes, Japan, and Formosa ; and it is found in Central and South America, 

 exclusive of the extreme south. 



The species shown on next page {Spizaetus hdlicoi^as) is from South Africa, and 

 is one of the largest members of the genus, the total length of the female being 31 

 inches. It belongs to a group in which the chest is uniformly coloured, and is 

 distinguished from some of its allies by the barred tail. In the immature bird, of 

 which our figure is an example, the general colour of the upper-parts is pale brown, 

 with white margins to the feathers of the back ; the feathers of the head and neck 

 are white, with a terminal spot of brown : the greater and primarj^ wing-coverts 

 and quills are ashy brown, tipped with white, and barred with darker brown ; and 

 the tail-feathers are likewise ashy brown, with huffish white tips, and crossed with 

 eleven dark brown bars. With the exception of a few dark brown spots on the 

 chest and under wing-coverts, the whole of the under-parts are uniform huffish 

 white. In the adult the o-cneral colour becomes dark brown above, the head beini; 

 dark brown, with narrow pale margins to the feathers; the tail has but six bars; 

 and the front of the neck and chest are dark brown, the remainder of the under 



