Catalogue of the Birds 



[July 



13 — C. brachydactyhs. — A. brachydactyla, Meger. White bellied 

 Harrier Ea^le or Serpent- Eagle — Samp-mar, H. — Mulpatur, Can. 



This species is very generally spread over the country. It affects 

 chiefly the open plains and patches of cultivated ground. It may fre- 

 quently he observed perched on a low tree, or even a bowrie pole, or 

 seated on the bank of a river, whence it occasionally darts upon its quar- 

 ry, but generally takes a long and lofty circling flight, or flies heavily 

 along, but a few yards above the ground. The most favourite food of the 

 samp-mar is, as its Indian name implies, snakes. It will, however, 

 take other food. Colonel Sykes found a rat in the stomach of one. I 

 saw one strike at a wounded hare, and another make a swoop at a 

 teal that was shot. From Mr. Elliot's notes I take the following : — 

 " Pounces on snakes and guanas — my meer shikar has seen them on 

 the ground with their claws on the snake's head, its body coiled round 

 the bird's wings, in which state the herd-boys sometimes kill them. 

 The Yerklees say it has a figure of the God's chulcram under each 

 wing, by which it prevents the snake going forward. In the stomach of 

 one I found a snake, about 2 feet long, and a centipede." 



Irides, orange yellow. Legs, pale and dirty yellow. Length of a fe- 

 male 30 inches— of wings to end of 4th quill 23— tail 12— tarsus 4— mid- 

 dle toe 3 — outer and inner toes, without the claws, nearly equal. 



14 — C. ? undulatus. — Hcematornis undulatus, Vig.— Gould, Cent. 

 Him. Birds. — Goom-can-mooryala, Mah. — Crested Serpent- Eagle. 



As I see Mr. Swainson has claimed the priority of the name Hosma- 

 tornis for his crested bulbuls, I have at present, though with hesitation, 

 retained this species under the genus Circaetus, to which it is evidently 

 strongly allied in parts of its structure (more especially its legs and 

 feet) as well as in habits and food, and of which it will probably be 

 found hereafter to form a sub-genus. I have found it in Goomsoor^ 

 Travancore, Malabar, and the Baramabl. It almost always affects 

 woody situations, preferring lofty jungle, over which it may often be 

 observed slowly sailing, or seated on a lofty tree, watching for its prey. 

 Its chief food is snakes, which 1 have found in every instance that 

 came under my observation. Mr. Elliot says " utters a plaintive cry, feeds 

 on insects, lizards and snakes." 



