91 CULLEN'S TAWNY EAGLE. 
page 13 of the first volume of your "work, is common to the Tawny 
Eagles of North and South Africa, and also to the Indian Aquila 
Vinci /liana." 
From Heuglin's " Ornithologie Nord Ost Afrikas" I collate the fol- 
lowing about the Tawny Eagle (A. nozvioides). The light coloured 
birds are known as Aquila albicans of Riippell, mentioned by Mr. 
Gurney above: — 
"The Tawny Eagle is sj:>read over the greater part of Africa. It 
is a rare winter visitor in Egypt and the north of Nubia. It ap- 
pears principally in the steppes and forests, and is especially frequent 
in the southern and eastern part of Sennar, in Takah, the Bogos 
country, and through the whole of Abyssinia to the height of twelve 
thousand feet. It appears also on the hot Samhara coast — for example, 
in the valleys of Ailat and Azuz. In the above-named localities the 
Tawny Eagle is a resident, but will sometimes forsake them in the 
autumn and winter — probably on account of diminished supplies. It 
will then become 'a, rover,' and goes into the country far beyond 
'dead boundaries,' and turns up in the vicinity of camps, cantonments, 
etc., and is found in deep, low-lying districts. It has a more sociable 
disposition than its allies, and is less daring as a robber, often con- 
tenting itself with carrion in the company of Vultures and Ravens. 
It is not, generally speaking, a shy bird, and feeds upon small 
mammalia principally. With the commencement of the summer rains 
the Tawny Eagle begins its nest. This is made on high trees, espe- 
cially acacias and zizyphus in Abyssinia, sometimes on junipers. The 
nest is of considerable size, and is formed of dry twigs, and Heuglin 
often observed several on the same tree. It is not very particular 
in its choice of a building spot. It nests either in lone forests or 
in farm yards, and even on churches, and uses the same eyrie for 
several years. Even when breeding is not going on, this bird may 
be seen sitting or perching on its old nest. In Abyssinia Heuglin 
found nests made in May, June, and August, while Vierthaler met 
with one in January, containing a young bird in downy plumage 
seventeen inches and a half in length. In the nest were dead rats 
and a domestic cat. Old birds from Abyssinia are almost uniformly 
of a grey isabel colour, which latter tint gradually changes to a dull 
white. Other birds from Eastern Sennar and Western Abyssinia are 
generally, and especially underneath, of a greyish fawn colour. On 
the breast, sides, shanks, and under tail coverts are solitary, often 
very broad, reddish or smoky brown arrow-shaped spots, which some- 
times run across the whole feather. The Tawny is distinguished from 
the Spotted Eagle by being larger, having a shorter stride {hilrzern 
