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Mr. E. C. Stuart Baker ;



season in the same nest like most eagles do, and also because their

laying season extends over several months, i.e. March to August.


With most eagles, once having found a nest, you have a

certain yearly take of eggs, as long as you leave the second laying

to the birds, but with the Serpent Eagles this does not hold good.

My own birds never attempted to nest, and it is just possible that

the larger eagles, whilst certainly taking two years, may even take

three before they commence breeding.


I do not know w T hat became of my eagles eventually, but

believe when I left North Cachar for good they were still alive and

well, being then about twelve years old. After I had had them for

some three years I was transferred on special duty for five months,

and though the birds came into my compound and slept nightly in

the fowl-house, they were certainly more like wild birds on my

return than when I had left them, though they were just as friendly

with me personally. Then long furlough home followed close upon

this shorter absence, and when the man who acted for me inhos¬

pitably closed the fowl-house door upon them, the eagles appeared

to be disheartened and took to the jungles entirely. They did not

however desert the neighbourhood, and when eventually in 1900 1

was transferred from North Cachar to another district in Assam, a

pair of these fine eagles still haunted my old home in Gungoug,

which pair the Nagas declared were my former tame birds.


The Genus Spilornis is one which is very well represented in

India, there being at least three species, and yet other sub-species

to be found within its limits. These are as follows: —


Spilornis cheela cheela, the largest form found in India

proper, ranging throughout Central India, extending well into the

West and North West, and again throughout Southern India

both in the West and East.


In the North East of India and thence into Burmah, Yunnan,

Northern Shan States etc., its place is taken by Rutherford’s

Serpent Eagle ( Spilornis cheela rutherfordi ) distinguished by its

smaller size and more barred under plumage.


Smaller races yet again in davisoni and pallidus are found far

South in the Malay Peninsular and Archipelago, whilst in Southern

India, breeding in a part of the same area as that occupied by the



