Notes upofi some of the Indian and European Eagles. 329 



Tliylloscopus Tytleri from P. viridanus and Hippolais agricolensis 

 from P. Rama were real difficulties^ but to recog-nize Aq. ncevia 

 in the spotted plumage is within the powers of the 'veriest tyro. 

 Very little is known of the nestling", or first plumage of the 

 various eagles. I have not even described that of the two 

 young Aq. vindhiana {A. ftdvescens) I procured from the nest 

 two years ago. The eggs of eagles are so keenly sought after, 

 that the important point of the first plumage has been neglected. 

 Perhaps something may be done this year towards a knowledo-e 

 of the first plumage of two or three of our eagles_, if only the 

 love for egg-collecting be moderated. It would be interesting 

 to shew whether the young eagles moulted their first plumage 

 in the autumn after they were hatched or not. I cannot believe 

 judging from the analogy of the common Indian kite, that the 

 lineated stage of Aq. mogilnih is the first one. It ought to be the 

 second. This, and many other similar points, will, it is to be hoped, 

 be cleared up before long, as the study of natural history extends. 

 Although I and others have been writing about the various 

 stages of plumage in eagles, we are still, many of us, ignorant of 

 the first plumage ; and this ignorance might have been removed 

 long ago, if the young birds had been looked to, instead of the 

 mere acquisition of the egg shells. A knowledge of the eggs is no 

 doubt interesting, but the birds themselves are of far greater 

 interest ; and after all, eggs are but eggs, and merely temporary 

 cases for the young, althoug'h they are often so beautiful. 



P. 8. — Since writing the foregoing, I have seen the '^^ original' 

 description of Aquila ncsvia by Brisson. The synonyms are — 



Aquila navia, Schwenck, Avi. Sil., page 219. 



Aquila clanga, Klein. Avi., page 41, No. 6. 



Morjphio congener, Aldror, Avi. Tom. I., page 214. 



MorpJmo congener, Aldrova^idi, Willugh. Ornith., page 32. 

 In his description of Aquila clangx, Pallas quotes the above 

 synonyms, omitting however the last, but adding Aquila minor, 

 Bufibn, Orn. I., p. 91. 



It is thus clear, that to apply the term clanga to any eagle 

 but the original spotted eagle described by the older authors, 

 is a great mistake ; and it is utterly impossible to apply the 

 term to Aq. hifasciata, which I have shewn is identical with 

 Jq. orientalis, Cal. Clanga is not Pallas^s term, but is a synonym 

 of A. ncevia ; and why it was preferred by Pallas, I do not know. 

 The total length of Aqtiila ncevia given by Brisson, is 2 feet 

 7 inches and six lines : equal to 2 feet 8f inches English 

 measurement ! I should have been inclined to think that there 

 was some error here, but a second measurement of 2 feet 5 

 inches from tip of bill to end of claws = 2 feet 6^ inches Eng- 



