LITTLE EAGLE. 
Range. Australia, but not Tasmania. 
Adult female. Back, wing, scapulars and tail brown, varying from buffy-wbite to almost 
black ; edge of wing white with dark centres to the feathers ; lesser and median 
upper wing-coverts earth-brown, becoming paler on the greater series which have 
the tips buffy-white like the innermost secondaries ; bastard-wing blackish with 
an indication of pale bars on the inner webs which are white on the inner edge ; 
primary-coverts very similar ; primary-quills blackish at the tips, inner webs 
for the greater part white, tinged with grey on the outer webs, and an indication 
of cross bars, the inner primaries much more grey with white edges at the tips, 
the outer secondary quills darker than the inner primaries and regularly barred ; 
third, fourth, fifth, and sixth primaries incised on the outer webs, and the second, 
third, and fourth on the inner webs ; rump brown ; the long upper tail-coverts much 
paler and whitish at the tips ; tail greyish-brown, with dark cross bars, white 
motthngs on the inner webs, and pale tips to the feathers ; crown of head and 
nuchal crest dark brown with pale edges to the feathers ; fore-head, sides of face, 
sides of neck, occiput, and hind-neck tawny with dark shaft-streaks to the feathers ; 
eyehds, a narrow line over the eye, and a broad moustachal streak below it black ; the 
short feathers on the bare space below the eye dull white ; throat and under-surface 
creamy-white with dark shaft-lines to the feathers and tinged with buff, becoming 
rufous-brown on the sides of the body and flanks ; under wing-coverts creamy- 
white with dark centres to the feathers. Bill rich horn colour with black tip ; eyes 
bright yellow ; feet greyish-white. Total length 500 mm. ; culmen 28, wing 377, 
tail 200, tarsus 65. Figured. Collected at Port Augusta, South Australia, on the 
6th of October, 1911, by Captain Samuel White. 
Adult male. Seems darker, especially on the under-surface. Wing 343 mm., culmen 22, 
tarsus 65. Collected on Isis Downes, Barco River, Queensland, on the 6th of 
December, 1881. 
Another bird collected at the Coongan River, Mid-west Australia, on the 7th of July, 
1908, is very similar to the above in coloration. Wing 334 mm., cuhnen 23, tarsus 59. 
These birds vary too much to denote subspecies on the series I have, but later my 
“ coongani ” may have to be admitted. 
A specimen collected in the Northern Territory belongs to the dark variety noted 
by North, and has the whole of the upper-surface very dark, almost black, and the 
' under-surface tawny red with black shaft stripes. This form has been described 
by North as rare in New South Wales, though it is the one described and figured 
by Gould who procured his specimen in New South Wales. It appears to be more 
common in certain localities, but as the young are dark coloured it is difficult to 
determine exactly the status of this form. It is not geographical, and it is also not 
a dimorphic stage, but would appear to be. a reversionary sport ; that is, old 
birds retain the immature plumage under certain conditions. ' 
Nestling covered with creamy-white down. (North.) 
Young. “ Two months old. Crown of the head, nape and “hind-neck rufous, with blackish 
centres to some of the feathers of the crown of the head and nape, and having short 
white down on the fore-head and centre of hind-neck, the remainder of the plumage 
of the upper-parts almost similar to that of the adult male ; throat and sides of 
neck covered with short creamy-white down, and which is also intermingled with 
the rufous-coloured plumage of the remainder of the under-surface, the abdomen 
and thighs being a clear fawn colour. A month later the down has been shed ; 
the eyelid is blackish, as is also a narrow fine of feathers above and below the bare 
skin surrounding the eye ; the feathers of the upper-parts are pale rufous, those of 
the under-breast having narrow blackish shaft-lines. In this stage of plumage 
the under-parts are darker than in the adult.” (North.) 
119 
