22 
POPULAR HISTORY OF BIRDS. 
cies with immense talons^ as in the rest of its subgenus^ 
we leave the subfamily of Eagles. 
This bird^ according to Mr. Jerdon^, is found in India, 
from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin, chiefly frequenting 
the wooded and jungly districts near mountain-ranges. It 
is much on the wing, sailing like most eagles at a great 
height, and seems to frequent certain spots, which it visits 
always about the same hour, its prey, doubtless, being most 
active at these times. This eagle seems to prefer hares, jun- 
gle-fowl, spur-fowl {Francolinus)y and partridges, and even 
preys on peacocks. It has been know^n to strike down that 
large wading bird, the ^^douk^^ {Tantalus leucocephalus). 
The Indian falconers ■ bear the bird a grudge, as most of 
them can tell of its having carried off a favourite hawk. Mr. 
Jerdon speaks of the depredations carried on by a pair of 
these eagles among pigeon-houses on the Neilgherries, which 
shows that they can work in concert, and are possessed of a 
large share of shrewdness. Whenever the pigeons took flight, 
one of the eagles pounces down from a vast height, directing 
its swoop rather under the flock than directly at them ; its 
mate, like any fox, watches the confusion into which the 
* Illustrations of Indian Ornithology, by T. C. Jerdon, Esq., Madras Me- 
dical Establishment. Madras, 1847. 
