166 FALCONID.E. 



Major Bingham writes: — "On the eastern and more wooded 

 bank of the Granges at Allahabad, a pair of these Eagles can be 

 seen at almost every half-mile or so. Between the 3rd and 12th 

 November, I found no less than five nests between Jhoosi and 

 Mhow Serai Ghats. Three was the greatest number of eggs 1 

 found in any one nest, and I think that is the usual number laid. 

 AH the eggs I have are of one type, roundish, and it strikes me 

 rather small eggs for the size of the bird, of a pure greyish-white 

 colour, without spot, blotch, or marking of any kind. 



"The nests were large, round, neat structures of twigs and 

 branches, lined thickly in only two cases with straw, and in the 

 others containing a mere apology for a lining in the shape of a 

 few leaves. Four nests were placed on the very summit of large 

 peepul-trees, one on a banyan." 



Writing from Sind, Mr. Scrope Doig says : — " Found several 

 nests between the 10th of November and 7th December. Nests 

 were built on trees in the middle of swamps, the trees were usually 

 decayed and totally devoid of foliage. In only one instance did 

 the parent birds try to prevent their nest being robbed, and in that 

 case there were young birds in the nest. Out of one nest I found 

 on the 10th of November I took two eggs ; again on the 20th 

 No\ember I got another egg out of the same nest; and again on 

 the 7th December I got two eggs from the same nest, both of 

 which were incubated. The nests were from 12 to 30 feet above 

 water-level." 



Mr. J. R. Cripps writes from Eastern Bengal : — " Much more 

 common than the last species. It breeds in the district, and is a 

 permanent resident. I put off securing a specimen, and eventually 

 left the district without getting one. I noticed three or four of 

 their nests, but during the time they were breeding (November 

 and December) I was confined to my bed, so lost their eggs. 

 Tamarind, bombax, and peepul trees are generally chosen. A Hin- 

 doo, in whose compound grew a large tamarind-tree on which there 

 was a nest of one of those birds, begged me not to shoot them, as 

 they judged the hour by them. They say the birds call every three 

 hours by night or day. They often carry off wounded game, and 

 on one occasion I saw a wounded 0. rutila taken away hj one of 

 them. Eish, however, are their principal food. I once rescued a 

 large fish (13 lbs. in weight) from one of these birds. It had after 

 a great difficulty brought the fish to the shore, and on my running 

 up to the spot flew away without the fish." 



Mr. Gates, referring to this Eagle in Pegu, says : — " Eggs may 

 be procured here from the 28th November to 29th December. 

 When the eggs are taken, the female lays again in the same nest. 

 Eggs always three. I have robbed one nest for four consecutive 

 years (in one year twice), and nothing will induce the birds to 

 desert the nestr Abundant in Lower Pegu." 



Typically the eggs of this species are a rather broad oval, but a 

 good dealjpf variation both i:i size and shape occurs. I have one 

 or ta-o'-very long and one Aery broad pyriform egg ; but these are 



