394 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XI. 



jungle hen. I had no gun with me so could not shoot it, but it was 

 perched on a tree within thirty yards of me and its intensely dark 

 plumage rendered it easily recognisable at that short distance. When 

 disturbed in forest it displays great activity in the way it dodges in and 

 out between the trees, seldom getting above them into the open, until 

 it thinks it has reached a safe distance. I have seen it haunting small 

 streams and ravines in heavy forests at high elevations, probably in 

 search of small animals and reptiles which abound in such places. 



(510) Spiz^etus cirrhatus. — The Crested Hawk Eagle. 

 Hume, Nos. 35, 35 bis and 35 quat ; Blanford, No. 1211. 

 An eagle undoubtedly of this species was shot by some Nagas on the 

 14th July and brought in to me. The crest is fully 3" long or rather 

 more. It is very remarkable obtaining this bird so far North. 

 (511) Spisjetus limn^tws. — The Changeable Hawk Eagle. 



Hume, Nos. 34, 34 A and 34 bis; Blanford, No. 1212. 

 I have seen no adults of this bird in Cachar, but had two young birds 

 brought to me onGe which, I believe, were of this species. Hume 

 records it from North-east Cachar. 



(512) Spiloenis cheela.— The Crested Serpent Eagle. 

 Hume, Ms. 39, 39 bis, 39a bis, and 39 ter; Blanford, No. 1217. 

 The most common eagle in North Cachar. On all the larger streams 

 it is found in very large numbers; and many of the villages at low eleva- 

 tions, up to some 2,500 feet, are haunted by one or more pairs, who 

 levy a toll on the fowls and ducks, sometimes even venturing to attack 

 young kids. For a long time — three years at least — a pair of them 

 persecuted the tenants of my fowl-run, doing very heavy damage, 

 more especially amongst the guinea-fowls. Finally, owing to the 

 persistance with which they kept up the slaughter of these birds, I was 

 driven to shooting the male and hanging up his skin as a warning to 

 his mate. She, however, refused to be driven away, and having married 

 again continued to frequent the place, though she became much less 

 bold in her depredations and never ventured within shot. 



They are extremely bold birds, and I have seen them stoop at and kill 

 jungle fowl and pheasants, and once saw a pair attack a heron which, 

 however, escaped into some adjacent forest. Their principal food con- 

 sits of lizards, frogs, and -fish, and it is not necessary that these should 

 have been killed by the bird itself. 



