Catalogue of the Birds 



[July 



skin of a bird* Its talons are rounded like those of the Osprey. Bill 

 strongly tootned; it and cere black ; legs dirty whitish ; hides, brown. 

 Length of a male bird 27^ inch, tarsus 3^ inch. 



Genus AQUILA— Eagle. 



9. A. Chn/scBtos — Golden Eagle. — Joomh or Joombiz, H. 



I several times observed birds of this species,both single and inpairs,in 

 the more northern parts of the Deccan, many of which shewed the white 

 mark at the base of the tail, which gained for it the name of ringtailed 

 Eagle, and I procured a specimen near the Gouavery river. I frequently also 

 see them near Jaulnah, even close to the cantonment, and they are occasi- 

 onally seen to pursue and strike at hares, florikin and other game started 

 by sportsmen. This Eagle may generally be seen seated on the ground, 

 or on a stone on the rocky hills, in the neighbourhood of Jaulnah, whence, 

 after the sun has been up for some time, it takes anight in search of prey, 

 at no great elevation, hunting slowly over the bushy valleys and ravines^ 

 and also over the cultivated ground occasionally, after which if unsucess- 

 ful in its search, it reseats itself on a stone on some eminence, or even per- 

 ches on a neighbouring tree, where it patiently waits till some quarry is 

 raised or viewed, or till hunger again prompts it to take a flight. I ob- 

 tained a specimen alive some time ago, it having been slightly wounded^ 

 and it is now in my possession, in perfect health. It feeds most greedily 

 on raw meat, preferring it to birds or animals either dead or living. It 

 is very sluggish and inactive even when urged by hunger. It generally 

 drinks a gulp or two of water after eating. The only cry I have heard it 

 utter is a harsh croaking. I shall now for the sake of comparison add a 

 brief description of this bird, which exactly corresponds in plumage with 

 the other specimen I shot. 



Upper part of head and neck, pale buff cream colour, some of the fea- 

 thers on the forehead broadly streaked with dark brown, and a few other 

 detached ones entirely of an orange buff colour. Quills nearly black, tail 

 of a dark hoary grey, barred and clouded with blackish, and broadly ter- 

 minated by the same colour. Under tail coverts pale brownish while, 

 all the rest of the body of a rich glossy dark brown, tinged on spots with 

 lighter brown ; on the scapulars, there are one or two white feathers,'and 

 one or tw T o more edged by the same colour. Cere and legs, yellow, with a 

 tinge of green. Irides, brownish yellow. Length about 3' feet, wings 

 to end of 4th quill 26 inches, tail 13, tarsus about 4, middle toe and 

 claw 3-,^-ths. On the internal and middle toe there are 4 large 

 scales each, and the division between the large scales and the small- 

 er ones,is not nearly so marked as is represented in the woodcut in 



