NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN ACCIPITRES. 
427 
(Geobasilens cliryssorhoea) , or of the spotted-sided finch ( Stagcinopleura 
guttata) , or perchance, if in the interior, of the white-face (XeropJiila). 
Extremes meet, and the great stick-built aerie of the eagle seems to be 
an especial refuge in certain cases for the homes of the before-men- 
tioned tiny birds. It would be merely speculation to state why the 
little creatures choose such places when more favourable situations 
are apparently available. 
NlSAETUS MORP1IKOIDES, Gould. 
(Little Eagle.) 
Figure. — Gould : “ Birds of Australia,” fob, vol. i., pi. 2. 
Previous Descriptions of Fggs. — “ Gould: “ Birds of Australia” 
(1848), also Handbook, vol. i., p. 12 (1865); Eamsay : P.L.S., 
N.S.W., vol. vii., p. 413 (1882.) 
Geographical Distribution. — Australia in general, except Victoria, 
and New Guinea. 
Nest . — When constructed by the birds themselves it is somewhat 
large, and is composed of sticks and twigs, lined inside with leaves, 
and situated in a large tree; but sometimes the eagle takes possession 
of a deserted crow’s (or other) large nest. 
Fgqs. —Clutch, 1-2, more frequently 1 ; round ovals in shape ; shell 
somewhat coarse or porous, surface lustreless ; colour dull bluish- white, 
sparingly marked with blotches and dashes of light reddish-brown. 
In some examples the markings arc absent or nearly so. Eggs from 
the same nest frequently vary, oue being marked, the other not. Dimen- 
sions in centimetres of odd examples : (1) 5'5 x 4*5 ; (2) 5*62 x 4*5. 
Observations. — The Little Eagle is more an interior bird, and not 
so commonly seen as the Wedge-tailed Eagle. 
Gould discovered this fine species in 1839 at Yarrundi, on the 
Hunter River, New South Wales. He was led to the discovery by 
finding a nest of the bird, containing a single egg, which was far 
incubated. He regretted that, although he visited the place after 
killing the bird, all attempts to procure its mate were (fortunately for 
the mate) entirely unsuccessful. The nest, Gould states, was of a 
large size, and was placed close to the bole, about one-fourth of the 
height from the top of one of the highest gum trees. The second 
specimen of the egg of this species received by Gould was presented 
to him by the late Mr. S. White, of Adelaide, who obtained it in the 
interior of South Australia. The eggs of the same species, subsequently 
described by Dr. Ramsay, were from Mr. Bennett’s collection ; while 
the examples of these rare eggs in my own collection were taken by 
the Messrs. Barnard, of Coomooboolaroo, Queensland, where it has 
been observed that the principal breeding months for the little eagle 
are September and October. 
Haliaetus leucogaster, Gmelin. 
(White-bellied Sea*Eagle.) 
Figure. — Gould : “ Birds of Australia,” fol., vol i., pi. 3. 
Previous Descriptions of Fggs. — Gould: ‘‘Birds of Australia” 
(1848), also Handbook, vol. i., p. 15 (1865) ; Hume : Nests and 
Eggs Indian Birds (1875), also vol. iii., p. 161 (1890); Legge : 
Proc. Roy. Soc. Tasmania, p. 129 (1888); North: Catalogue Nests 
and Eggs Australian Birds, p. 7 (1889). 
