WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE (EAGLE-HAWK). 
Eggs. Clutch one or two, rarely three ; ground-colour light buff, often white covered all 
over with lavender spots or blotches, the latter more noticeable at the larger end. 
A set from Alexander in the Northern Territory measures : axis 71 to 74 mm., 
diameter 56-61. From the Dawson River, 72-78 by 55-62 ; West Australia 66-68 
by 56. 
Breeding-season. July to September, usually. 
While it is certain this bird was met with by the early voyagers and 
recorded under the term “Eagles,” no one seems to have been struck by it 
so as to give details. This may be due to the fact that the imperfect 
firearms, possessed by the early investigators were unable to effect the 
death of this noble bird. 
At any rate, the first definite record only appears in 1801, when Latham 
described it as Vultur audax from one of the Watling Drawings. After 
his description Latham wrote : “ This is a native of New Holland, but 
although the size of it is uncertain, we may suppose it not to be one of 
the smallest, and certainly is a fierce species, as it is said to kfil the 
Pottegorang, and even to attack the natives themselves, who know it 
by the name of Boora~morangN 
When Sharpe worked through the Watling Drawings, of which this 
is No. 1, he commented {Hist. Coll. Nat. Hist. Brit. Mus., Vol. II.^ p. 109, 
1906) : “ Latham copies Watling’s original note about the native name 
being ‘ Boora-morang ’ (Watling writes it ‘ Boo-ro-ma-rang ’) and also 
about the bird sometimes attacking natives, but he says not one word 
about Watling or James Lee in the text of his book, nor can I so far 
find any evidence of his giving credit to either of them as the source of 
his information. The bird is drawn holding a fish under its foot, and 
might be mistaken for a young Haliaetus leucogaster, but on comparing the 
sketch with specimens, it is evidently intended for a Wedge-tailed Eagle, 
as is also shown by its feathered legs. Latham says that ‘the size of 
this bird is uncertain.’ Watling generally gives the size of his birds, but 
on this picture he gives a scale, which shows that the specimen was about 
three feet long.” 
As a matter of fact, the description is imperfect, being based upon this 
figure, which is an inferior one. I hope to fully determine the entire history 
of the Watling Drawings one day, but might here state that it is pretty 
certain that the present drawing was not made by Thos. Watling himself, 
and this accounts for the poor painting seen in this instance. 
The Eagle was beautifully figured under the name Falco fucosus in 
the Planches Coloriees by Temminck and Laugier, and this name gained 
currency, but when the Watling Drawings were examined by Gray, Strickland 
and Gould, the Lathamian name was recognised and adopted, first by Gray 
VOL. V, 
97 
