84 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



two last birds. It may often be seen seated on the high bank, or 

 on a sand chur in the Ganges, or in a decayed tree near the edge 

 of the river. It builds its nest in general on large trees, but 

 I have also found it building on trees not more than 30 or 40 feet 

 hi^h, on the banks of the Ganges. It has a wild clanging cry. 

 Hodgson, and Gray following him, place this species as Cuncuma, 

 a sub-genus, separated from Halioetus, but only differing in the 

 tarsus being less feathered in front, and with the scuta covering 

 more of the bare portion. 



43. Halisetus leucogaster, Gmel. 



Falco, apud Gmelin — Temm.. PI. col. 49 — Horsf., Cat. 68 — 

 Blagrus leucogaster, Blyth, Cat. 123 — F. blagrus, Daudin, — 

 Jerdon, Cat. 7 — F. dimidiatus, Raffles — Gould, Birds of 

 Australia PI. 3 — Ichthyactus cultrungis, Blyth, (the semi-adult) — 

 F. maritimus, Gmel. — Kohassa. H. — Samp-mar, Hind in Orissa — 

 Ala Tel. and Tarn. 



The Grey-backed Sea Eagle. 



Descr. — Adult, head, neck, and entire under parts, pure white ; 

 mantle and wing, pale blue grey : quills, and tail, cinereous black, 

 the latter broadly tipped with white. 



Irides brownish yellow; bill pale bluish, tipped dusky ; cere pale 

 greenish yellow ; legs dirty -white. Length 30 inches ; wing 24 ; 

 tail 10; tarsus 3^; mid-toe with claw 4. A male measured 27 

 inches; wing 21-^; tall 9; tarsus 3-,-'^ ; bill gape 2^ : height less 

 than 1. The young bird has the mantle and wing coverts brown, 

 the white parts fulvous white, tinged with rusty brown, and dusky, 

 especially on the head, breast, and middle of abdomen; and the 

 tail is dark Avith spots and speckles. 



Wings reach beyond the end of the tail, which is much rounded, 

 or somewhat wedge-shaped. Its talons have trenchant inner edges, 

 and the feet are rough beneath ; the intestines are elongated as in 

 the Osprey. 



It differs somewhat from H. Macei in its more sinuated bill, in 

 the scutation of the tarsus, and the longer wings, the former 

 character, and to some extent its coloration, allving it to Pontaetus, 



