NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF UPPER ASSAM. 563 



plains. Birds in all stages of plumage make it somewhat difficult to discri- 

 minate though the white band across the middle of the tail is a sure means 

 of identification in adult plumage. On several occasions seen to attempt 

 to seize Duck and other water birds. 



336. Polioaetus ichthyaetus (Horsf.) [1226].— The Large Grey-headed 



Fishing Eagle. 

 Generally distributed throughout the plains in all well-watered localities. 

 Joyhing, Eunganuddie ; Dejoo, Runganuddie, 15-8-08, $; 16-9-08, c? ; 

 Gogaldhubie, Bhimpoora bhil, 8-12-05, S ; 16-12-05,6'; Komolabari, Brama- 

 pootra ; Rungagora, R. Dibru, 29-12-01, $ ; 14-2-04, $ . Immature birds 

 are liable to be confused with the previous species until actually in the hand 

 for comparison. 



337. Polioaetus humilis major, Meyr and Wigl. [1227]. — Fishing Eagle. 



Polioaetus humilis, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iii., p. 371. 

 By no means as plentiful as P. ichthyaetus, occurs on the Dibru 

 Rungagora, 28-11-03, $ , 



338. Haliastui- indus indus (Bodd.) [1228]. — The Brahminy Kite. 

 Unequally distributed in the plains.. In some localities rarely seen and 



only at certain periods, partial to haunts in the vicinity of water. 



Bhimpoora bhil, Gogaldhubie, 8-12-05, $ (512); 19-12-05, 5 (511); 

 20-12-05, c? (4547j; Hessamara, 10=4-05, J (513); North Lakhimpur! 

 15-6-04, $ (455) ; Dejoo, 15-9-08, $ (833) ; 31-10-08, 6 (468) ; 11-08 sex ? 

 (408); 13-11-08, $ (3290). 



No. 455. First plumage. Iris dark hazel ; bill bluish-black ; tarsi dull 

 olive yellow ; claws black. 



No. 833. First plumage. Iris pale brown ; tarsi greenish-yellow ; claws 

 black. 



Nos. 408 and 511. Immature plumage second stage. These specimens 

 on the back in places show the ruddy tinge of the adult ; head and breast 

 uniform pale sandy red with faint centre stripes. 



No. 513. Adult. Iris stone brown ; bill green and bluish-horny ; cere 

 yellow : orbital skin and gape greenish-yellow ; tarsi dull yellow ; claws 

 black. A great relief to the Miris of the " gaon " adjacent to which this bird 

 had taken up its site was its dispatch and heralded with much shouting as 

 it had taken a heavy toll of their fowls. 



339. Milvus melanotis, Temm. and Schleg. [1230]. — The Large Indian Kite. 

 Commonly distributed throughout the plains, ap).>arently replaces M.- 



govinda in Upper Assam. 



Dejoo, April 1903, a small party located in the bamboos, heavy rain at 

 this time; Rungagora, 8-12-03, $ ; 10-12-03, $ ; 15-12-03, 9; Gogaldhubie, 

 7-12-05, $ ; North Lakhimpur, 21-11-05, J ; Dejoo, 25-9-08, $ ; 14-9-08*, a 

 pair in the vicinity of bungalow first appearance this cold season ; 23-9- JO 

 I noted three this afternoon ; they appeared to have come up the valley 

 with the advent of heavy rain ; the next morning were in evidence roost- 

 ing in a large tree about a hundred yards from bungalow ; Silonibari, 

 9-9-11* and on 11-10-11,* four to six birds seen. 



At times during the rains they have been reported to congregate in 

 vast numbers although I have no personal observations on this point. I 

 have seen them probing for earth worms in parties of six to eight individu- 

 als on cleared ground after rain. All the above records are cold season 

 data, apparently absent at other periods of the year. 



340. Elanus caeruleus (Desf.) [1232].— The Black-winged Kite. 

 Komolabari, Sibsagar, 1 — 13-9-04, S ; Hessamara, Subansiri, 9-4-05, 2 '' 



28-12-05, $ ; 29-12-05, S . 



