CATALOGUE. 
47 
certain spots in the district it frequents, always about the same 
hour. It may often be seen seated on the summit of a lofty tree, or 
on some overhanging rock. I have observed it chiefly on the 
Neilgherries, along the range of western and northern Grhauts, also 
though more sparingly in the bare Deccan and Carnatic. It preys 
by preference on various kinds of game, hares, jungle-fowl, spur- 
fowl, and partridges, and even on pea-fowl ; also on ducks, herons, 
and other water-fowl, and according to the testimony of native 
Shikarees, it has been known to strike down the Douk {Tantalus 
leucocephalus) . Most native falconers too, have stories to relate of 
its having carried ofl^" a favourite hawk. On one occasion on the 
IN'eilgherries, I observed it stoop successively at a spur-fowl, hare, and 
pea-fowl, each time unsuccessfully, however, owing to the thickness of 
the jungle. A pair were also wont to resort to a village at the hills 
and carry off fowls. Grreat havoc was committed among several pigeon- 
houses on the Neilgherries by a pair of these eagles, and indeed I 
heard that one or two were completely devastated by them. The 
manner in which they captured the pigeons was described to me by 
two or three eyewitnesses, to be as follows : on the pigeons taking 
flight, one of the eagles pounced down from a vast height on the 
flock, but directing its swoop rather under the pigeons than directly 
at them. Its mate, watching the moment when, alarmed by the first 
swoop, the pigeons rise in confusion, pounces unerringly on one of 
them, and carries it off*. The other Eagle, having risen again, also 
makes another stoop, which is generally fatal. I have not yet been 
fortunate enough to meet with the nest of this Hawk Eagle, but it 
is said by native Shikarees to build on steep and inaccessible cliffs, 
and to breed in January and February." — (Jerd., 111. Ind. Orn.)] 
57. AQUILA CREYSAETOS, Linn. Sp. 
Ealco chrysaetos, Linn., S. N. I. p. 125. 
Aquila chrysaetos. Fall., Zoogr. I. p. 341. Yarrell, Brit. 
B. I. p. 11. G. JR. Gray, Gen. of Birds, I. p. 13 ; 
Cat. B. Brit. Mus. p. 9. Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. A. 
S. B. p. 26. Bonap., C. G. Av. p. 13. 
Ealco niger, Gmel, S. JST. L. I. p. 259. 
Ealco americanus, Gmel., S. AT. L. I. p, 257. 
Ealco melanotus, Lath., Ind. Orn. I. p. 16. 
Aquila daphsBnia, Hodgs. Gray, Zool. Misc. (1844), 
p. 81. 
The aolden Eagle. 
