FIRST LIST OF THE BIRDS OF THE SOUTH KONKAN. 31 



margins of the feathers widening towards the forehead which 

 was grisly white ; the irides were in this bird pale bluish 

 grey; the cere as well as the bill was black, and the legs 

 were pale chrome yellow ; the breast and under parts were 

 pure white, save a few brown streaks at the sides and on the 

 flanks ; the crest was half developed. 



This is the commonest Eagle in the district, but I have found 

 it more abundant to the north than to the south. It rangea 

 from the Coast to the Ghats, keeping to well-wooded tracts at 

 all elevations. I have seen it strike at Bush Quail, and unsuc- 

 cessfully chasing Green Pigeon from tree to tree. I have also 

 seen it in the act of killing a small viper, drawing itself up to 

 its full height with its head back, and its crest lowered like 

 the ears of a vicious horse, and its feet well to the front, 

 clawing and striking the snake with great vigour, but keeping 

 it at a safe distance from any vulnerable part. I have heard 

 also of one having been seen attacking a mongoose, but I 

 cannot vouch for this. On taking a nest from a tamarind tree 

 close to a house on the sea beach at Guhagar, I was told that 

 the old birds had carried off successively four young kittens 

 from the premises. 



The Crested Hawk Eagle breeds in this district from December 

 to April, January being the favourite month. The nests are 

 large, and comparatively deep stick structures, loosely put 

 together with the twigs hanging down untidily. They are 

 always profusely lined with green mango leaves. They are 

 built very high up, as a rule, in forks of trees ; any large tree 

 serves the purpose. I have found nests in banyan, tamarind, 

 wild fig (Ficus glomerata), and bel trees (CEgle marmelos) ,♦ 

 but the great majority were in mango trees. The old birds 

 make no attempt to defend their nests. Out of 32 nests 

 examined, none contained more than one egg or one young bird. 

 The average of 25 eggs measured gives a length of 2'6*3 with 

 a breadth of 2 - 04. The largest egg measured 3 X 2*1, and 

 the smallest 2*25 % 1*85. In shape they vary greatly, but the 

 usual type is a moderate oval, pointed at the smaller end. The 

 colour is a dull greenish white, sometimes unspotted, and 

 sometimes faintly streaked at the larger end with reddish 

 brown. The texture is comparatively smooth, but devoid of 

 all gloss. The lining is, of course, pale green. 



39.— Spilornis cheela, Lath. 



| Savant Vadi. 



A single specimen was obtained at Savant Vadi. It appears 

 to be replaced throughout the district, at all events north ot 

 JR-atnagirij by the smaller fqrm S. melanotis, Jcrd. 



