BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
35.—THH CRESTHD HAWK EAGLE. 
Limndétus cirrhatus, Gm. 
The Crested Hawk Eagle is confined to the hilly tracts of tho 
district, and appears to be uncommon everywhere, except perhaps in 
Ratnagiri.* They breed during the first three months of the year, 
making a large stick nest high up ina fork of a lofty tree; it is 
usually lined with green leaves. They lay but a single egg, which is 
white, devoid of markings ; the lining is pale green, and it measures 
2°65 inches in length by 1°9 in breadth. 
Although they allow no other bird to build on or near the tree 
in which they have placed their nest, yet they make no attempt to 
defend it from the attack of a bird-nester, and forsake it on the least 
provocation. 
They are along time making their nest, and it is often finished 
weeks before the ogg is laid. 
Khandesh, 16th February to 13th April. J. Davidson, CS. 
S. Kanara, December to April. C. Vidal, OS. 
38.—THE COMMON SERPENT EAGLE. 
Ciredétus gallicus, Gm. 
The Common Serpent or Short-toed Eagle is sparingly distri- 
buted throughout the greater part of Western India, but has not as 
yot been recorded from Ratnagiri. They are permanent residents 
breeding during the first three months of the year, placing their 
nests as a rule on trees, more rarely on ledgesin the faces of rocky 
ar clayey cliffs. 
The nests are rather large, and are composed of sticks, sometimes 
with grass intermixed, and they are often lined with green leaves. 
The egg, they lay but one, is broad oval in shape, slightly taper- 
ing at one end; it varices a good deal in size, but the average is 2°9 
inches in length by about 2:3 in breadth; it is unspotted bluish- 
whitein colour. The egg lining is a beautiful sap-groen. Although 
they frequent the neighbourhood of the nest for a long time after it 
has been robbed, they do not appear to lay a second time. This 
Hagle is the Jean-le-blanc of the French, so called from its beauti- 
ful white breast. 
* Mr. Davidson, O.S., found this to be the common Hagle of W. Khandesh. 
Vide B. N. H, 8, Journal, p.194, No. 4, Vol. I. eds haphgsuaer 
