FURREEDPORE, EASTERN BENGAL. 245 



gape, 2-30 ; bill at front, including cere, 1*80 ; closed wings 

 equal tail. Irides dark brown ; gape lemon yellow ; feet light 

 yellow ; bill, leaden at base, above and below, rest horny ; cere 

 lemon yellow ; eyelids whitish, sparingly clad with white down ; 

 ovaries minute. Shot of nest with egg. 



\§th May, Male. — Length, 25*50 ; expanse, 60'0 ; wing, 18'0 ; 

 tail from vent, 9*50; tarsus, 4*0 ; bill from gape, 2*25 ; bill at 

 front, including cere, 1*70 ; closed wings equal end of tail. Gape 

 yellow ; irides dark brown ; feet dingy yellow ; cere yellow ; 

 bill, basal half leaden, rest black ; orbits clothed with tiny 

 white feathers ; testes very small. 



28tk May, Male. — Length, 23'0 ; expanse, 60*0; wing, 18*25; 

 tail from vent, 9'60 ; tarsus, 3*50 ; bill from gape, 2*26; bill 

 at front, including cere, 1*75 ; closed wings exceed tail, 1*30. 

 Irides bright brown, but with a deal of light yellow in patches ; 

 gape wax yellow ; feet and cere pale lemon yellow ; mouth, in- 

 side fleshy ; tongue bluish ; testes small. 



22nd June, Male. — Length, 25*50 ; expanse, 60*0 ; wing, 

 18*0 ; tail from vent, 8*50 ; tarsus, 3*75 ; bill from gape, 2*50 ; 

 bill at front, including cere, 1*66 ; closed wings exceed end of 

 tail, 1*0. Irides clear bright brown ; gape and cere lemon yel- 

 low ; feet dingy greenish yellow ; bill basal half, leaden blue, 

 rest black; orbital skin yellow; naked eyebrow dull pale 

 green. 



The birds shot on the 28th May and 22nd June show traces 

 of buff spots at the bend of the wing. The bird shot off the 

 nest is several shades darker than any of the others. 



I have repeatedly seen them flying past with rats, which they 

 hold in their mouths, and not as most other birds of prey do, in 

 their talons. Very common, and can easily be distinguished 

 when flying by the white on the upper tail-coverts, and the light 

 patches on the secondary feathers. Is a permanent resident. 



On the 1st April I saw a bird fly up into a Tamarind tree with 

 a twig in its mouth, and on the 16th May I took the only egg there 

 was. This Tamarind tree formed one of a clump growing on a 

 deserted ryot's holding. The trees were all very large, and the 

 under-growth of cane, &c, was very dense. The nest was a large 

 structure of sticks and twigs with a lining of the latter and con- 

 tained only one egg. The Chick's bill protruded while carrying the 

 egg home. The nest was about 50 feet from the ground and right 

 on the top of the tree. The parent bird sat very close, taking 

 ever so many stones to drive her off the nest when I shot her. 

 On two adjoining trees I found the nests of Bubo coromandus and 

 Spilornis rutherfordi. These Eagles are very tame, allowing of an 

 easy approach at all times. On no occasion did I see them catch 



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