FALCONID^ AQUILA 295 



Ibis, 1878, p. 281 [Potohefstroom] ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 149 (1896) ; 

 Woodward Bros. Natal Birds, p. 145 (1899) ; Beichenow, Vog. Afr. i. 

 p. 587 (1901). 

 " Chok " or " Coo vogel " of Dutch (Layard). 



Description. Adult male. — General colour above, chestnut- 

 brown, the scapulars and some of the wing-coverts dark sepia-brown 

 edged with paler chestnut-brown giving a parti-coloured appearance 

 to that part; wing-quills black, greyish-black on the inner web 

 below the notch, upper tail-coverts whity brown ; tail dark ashy- 

 black ; below, including the under wing-coverts and thighs, tawny- 

 brown throughout; under side of wing-quills and tail ashy-black. 



Iris yellow freckled with brown ; bill dark brown, black at the 

 tip ; gape and cere chrome yellow ; legs chrome yellow, claws black. 



Length 27 ; wing 20 ; tail 10 ; tarsus 3-90 ; culmen 2'45. 



The female is larger, length 31-0 ; wing 22-2. 



A young bird is pale tawny above, without the darker centres 

 to the feathers ; the wing-quills and tail as in the adult, but the 

 latter showing traces of darker bars ; below paler than the adult, 

 almost white on the throat and under tail-coverts ; iris brown. 



Distribution — The Tawny Eagle is found throughout the greater 

 part of Africa (except the tropical portions of west Africa) from the 

 shores of the Mediterranean to Cape Colony ; it occasionally visits 

 southern Europe and perhaps Palestine, but in India is replaced by 

 other allied species. Within our limits it appears to be most 

 abundant in the central part of the Colony and Bechuanaland 

 extending to Great Namaqualand and Damaraland. It is rare in 

 Natal where it appears to be confined to Drakensberg and other 

 mountains and has not been hitherto noticed in Ehodesia. 



The following are localities : Cape Colony — Nelspoort in Beau- 

 fort West, Colesberg, Port Elizabeth (Layard), Albany, rare 

 (Grahamstown Museum), Middelburg and Barkly West (S. A. 

 Mus.), and Kuruman (Layard) : Transvaal — Potchefstroom (Ayres), 

 Limpopo river valley (Holub) ; Bechuanaland — Eastern Bamang- 

 wato (Holub) ; German south-west Africa — Omaruru (Eriksson in 

 S. A. Mus.). 



Habits — This eagle like the last is chiefly found in mountainous 

 and open country where it may be seen soaring aloft at a great 

 height or perched on some conspicuous rock or isolated tree on the 

 look out for its prey. Layard says that it constantly accompanies 

 persons in pursuit of game and that it will carry off wounded 

 dassies, meerkats, and genets, as well as lambs and kids. Mr. 



