126 



PANDION HALIAETUS. 



eggs is nearly always three. Mr. Dresser remarks that in a large series he has found most of the eggs to be 

 white, richly spotted and blotched with deep chestnut-red, and sparingly marked with a few purplish-grey under- 

 lying blurs or markings; in one or two the deep red blotches were so close as almost to hide the ground- 

 colour. 



The specimen figured in Hewitson's 'British Birds' Eggs/ pi. iii., has the larger markings in the form of 

 softened clouds of brownish red in a zone round the large end, while the rest of the surface of the shell is 

 tolerably profusely covered with linear blotches of a paler hue. The average dimensions are 2'5 inches by T9. 

 The singular fact is recorded by Wilson, that " the most thriving tree will die in a few years after being taken 

 possession of by the Fish-Hawk;" and he remarks that this is attributed to the fish-oil and to the excrement 

 of birds, but is more probably occasioned by the large heap of wet salt materials of which the nest is com- 

 posed. The Osprey, if it really does remain all the year round in the island of Manaar, may perhaps breed 

 on some of the gigantic Baobab-trees (Adansonia digitata) which are common there, and supposed to have been 

 introduced by Arabs centuries ago. 



Suborder STRIGES. 



Outer toe reversible. Eyes directed forwards and encircled by a facial disk. Nostrils 

 generally hidden by stiff bristles. Plumage soft and fluffy. Tibia more than double the length 

 of tarsus. Tail with twelve feathers. (S/iarjw, Cat. B. ii. p. 1.) 



Fam. BUBONID.E. 



Hinder margin of sternum always deeply cleft, two or more notches being present ; furcula 

 free; inner margin of middle claw not serrated. (Sharpe, Cat. Birds, ii. p. 1.) 



Subfam. BUBONINtE. 



Head usually furnished with two large tufts at the sides of the forehead ; facial disk imper- 

 fectly developed above the eye ; ear-conch small and without an operculum. Tarsus stout, nearly 

 always feathered. 



