180 THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 



fork of a dead part of a tree. Both were about thirty feet from 

 the ground and about 200 yards from the beach. The eggs are 

 of a dirty white colour, the surface spread over with hair-like 

 streaks forming hieroglyphics and with minute reddish-brown 

 dots, and measure 2.2 x 1.7 inches. 



The Whistling Eagle. 



Haliastur sphenurus. 



The whole of Australia and New Caledonia. 



Length 22 inches, wing 16.6 inches. Head and neck sandy coloured, 

 with fulvous streaks; tail uniform ashy brown. Young paler. 



The Whistling Eagle is generally seen in pairs, and may be 

 met with in almost any kind of country, and in any part of the 

 Continent. It is incessantly hovering over the harbours and 

 sides of rivers and lagoons, and, even in the Centre, 

 Mr. Keartland saw a pair or more at every water-hole. Its flight 

 is easy and buoyant, and it freqtiently soars to a high altitude, 

 and, whether on the wing or at rest, it utters its peculiar shrill 

 whistling cry, from which the common name is derived. It 

 devours birds, small mammals, lizards, fish and has a special 

 weakness for caterpillars. Hence, if there be a plague of these 

 vermin the advent of the birds may be expected with some 

 confidence. 



The nest is composed of sticks and fibrous roots, and built 

 on the topmost branches of the swamp-oak or other tree growing 

 by the sides of the creeks or rivers. The eggs, usually two, are 

 of a bluish- or greenish-white, with few obscure brown markings, 

 appearing as if beneath the surface of the shell. 



The Kite. 



Milvus afjfinis. 



Australia and Malaysia. 



Length 20 inches, wing 16.5 inches. Blackish-brown above, under 

 surface dull rufous brown; head paler brown, streaked with blackish; 

 bill blackish; feet yellow; iris brown. 



The Kites are more venturesome in the presence of man than 

 any of the other birds of prey. They will dart down and seize 

 the bird shot by the sportsman, or scraps of meat or flesh which 

 he may throw away, although the gun is still in his hand. 



