74 BIRDS IN SINGAPORE. 
may often be seen fishing there; and it is not rare to see two 
birds fighting for the possession of a fish captured by one of 
them. Off Pangkore I have twice seen them attacked by crows, 
and attempting to defend themselves by turning on their 
sides in the air and striking with their claws. Sometimes over- 
balancing themselves they turn completely over, executing a 
kind of lateral summersault. After heavy rain they may often 
be seen drying their wings on the dead limb of some lofty tree, 
and in this way sometimes fall victims to bird-shooters. 
A fine hawk which nests regularly in the garden jungle is 
the Leautiful grey and white serpent-eagle (Spizaetus Limnaetus) 
“Tang Borek”’ of the Malays. The young birds are brownish 
in colour, but the adult has a white head and neck and grey 
wings, looking like a miniature sea-eagle. The nest consists of 
a mass of sticks on the fork of a branch in a lofty tree, and has 
been in use by the birds for over nine years. The birds may 
almost always be seen and heard about the gardens ; their cry is 
a piercing whistle often repeated, not unlike that of the English 
buzzard. They seem to prey upon small birds, and perhaps 
snakes, but do not seem as a rule to at tack chickens, but the 
Malays say they are very fierce and attack young monkeys. 
The fine Horsfield’s eagle ( Limnaetis Horsfieldi) is not a rare 
visitant, but seldom stays long ; one however remained for some 
months in the garden jungle. It is a very bold bird, and I saw 
one swoop four times in succession ata terrier, rising again 
when within a few inches of its back. Its movements were so 
noiseless that the dog did not notice it till it struck him 
with its wing as it rose. It is a great enemy to chickens, 
and often catches them, but it is most commonly to be seen 
perched on a burnt tree-stump in the fields of lalang in the 
interior of the island, watching for small birds. I have several 
times had it in confinement, but it is always restless, con- 
stantly dashing against the bars of its cage. Jt is a handsome 
bird, entirely sooty-grey in colour. 
Another large dark grey owl-like hawk which stops 
sometimes in the gardens is Spilornis bacha. It is likewise an 
enemy to chickens, but kills also wild pigeons and other 
birds. I have seen it with a roller (Hurystoma) in its claws. 
The roller has a_ habit of sitting on the topmost twig of a 
tree in the evening, forming a conspicuous object and an 
