AQUILINE. 67 



head and neck were white, rest of plumage black, tail long and 

 wedge-shaped. I was struck subsequently with its similarity to 

 A. malaiensis.''^ This Eagle never being white on the head, 

 i\ dams' bird must have been some other species; perhaps the 

 Aquila pelagica of Pallas. 



3rd. — Hawk Eagles. 



This group comprises some very fine Eagles which, from their 

 short wings and some other points, have been placed by certain 

 systematists among the Accipitrince. Their large size, powerful legs 

 and feet, and more particularly perhaps their changes of plumage, 

 ally them more in my opinion to the Eagles. 



Gen. NiSAETUS, Hodgs. 



Syn. Tolmaetus and EutQlmcetus, Blyth. 



Char. — Bill moderately long, strong, deep, much hooked at the 

 tip, moderately compassed ; cere large, nostrils large, elliptic ; upper 

 mandible strongly festooned ; wings moderate, 5th quill longest, tail 

 long, nearly even ; tarsi long, strong, but not thick, feathered to the 

 toes ; toes large, unequal, claws very large, sharp and well curved ; 

 the inner toe and claw, and hind toe and claw especially, very 

 large. 



This genus was, as originally instituted by Hodgson, intended 

 to include both this present species, and the birds of the next 

 group, which are now classed under the prior name of Limnaetas ; 

 Blyth subsequentlj- named the present type JEutohnaetus, but I 

 think Hodgson's previous name ought to stand for it, as this bird 

 was one of those included in his genus. Blyth classes it among 

 the true Eagles, and Horsfield even does not separate it from 

 Aquila, but its general form, the structure of its powerful feet, its 

 yellow irides, its mode of coloration, and its habits, convince me 

 that its true place is with the Hawk-eagles.* 



33. Nisaetus Bonelli, Temm. 



Falco, apud Temminck, PI. col. 288 — Aquila apud HoRSF., Cat, 

 56 — Eutolmaetus, Blyth, Cat. 108 — Nis-grandis, Hodgson, J. 



• A. beUiciisa of Africa appears to belong to this genus. 



