CASPIAN BIFASCIATED EAGLE. 81 
spotted youth. If there were, it would render it necessary for Mr. 
Brooks to find out a similar character in his bifasciata. It is singular, 
however, that a spotted young clanga should never yet have been 
authoritatively established, and Mr. Dresser states positively it has not. 
(P.Z.S., 1873.) Mr. Gurney and Mr. Dresser think, however, that 
farther time ought to be given before the matter is considered finally 
settled. Mr. Dresser, in an able paper in the P.Z.S. for June, 1873, 
argues the question fully, and seems to have little or no doubt about 
the identity of the two birds. Mr. Gurney is not quite so sure — he 
thinks them closely allied, but still distinct. I have therefore used 
the term orientalis provisionally only. Should Mr. Brooks be supported 
by further testimony, then A. bifasciata would have priority. 
Under any circumstances A. clanga having emerged from its position 
as a Spotted Eagle, it would have been my duty to have introduced 
it into this work. I shall therefore give a figure of an adult Aqaila 
orientalis from the Norwich Museum, selected by Mr. Gurney, and 
kindly drawn for me by Mr. Reeve. 
In "Stray Feathers," for February, 1873, Mr. Brooks remarks, 
"Aquila bifasciata is often quite as robust as A. mogilnik, but it is 
never black brown, and never obtains white scapularies. The general 
tone of colour is earth brown, or f soil brown,' according to Mr. 
Hodgson. His drawing 934 perfectly represents the adult stage." It 
is distinguished from A. ncevioides by the barring on the tail and the 
shape of the nostril. In the Spotted Eagle the nostril "is the most 
circular of any Eagles with which I am acquainted," (Brooks) while 
in bifasciata it is long and vertical. "The fact of this bird's occurrence 
in Europe is very interesting, and I have sent Mr. Gurney a very 
fine series from youth to age for the Norwich Museum. From all I 
can learn this Eagle is common in Eastern Europe." 
This remark alludes to the dark birds which migrate on the Bos- 
phorus, as recorded by Mr. Allen, and which Mr. Gurney and Mr. 
Dresser now admit are Aquila orientalis. 
In looking over the nomenclature of A. clanga, it is curious to 
observe that it has at various times been named "mogilnik," Gmelin, 
"ncevia" Naumann, "bifasciata," Brehm, "ncevioides," Schlegel, and 
lastly "orientalis," Cabanis. 
I must refer especially to the specific characters furnished me by 
Mr. Gurney, to show the extreme difficulty in determining these 
species in their varied plumage, lasting, as it does, four moults. I 
may mention that a fine bird trapped in its nest in the Dobrudsha 
was marked orientalis by Mr. Gurney, but on comparing it with a 
large series of Volga skins with Mr. Dresser, those gentlemen decided 
VOL. I. M 
