THE SPOTTED EAGLE. 
Aquila luwia. 
Plate XXXI. 
Although only met with as an occasional straggler in the British Islands, the Spotted Eagle is by no means 
scarce in many parts of the European continent. In Lithuania M. Constantin Tyzenhauz, who has contributed 
some interesting notes on the Eagles of the district in which he lives to the “ Eevue Zoologique ” for 1846, 
informs us that this species is the most common of all, and a similar statement with regard to Pomerania, 
has been made by Dr. Kriiper. The bird, in fact, occurs throughout Eastern and Southern Europe, though 
not usually in such abundance. In Egypt it is said to be generally distributed, and rather numerous. 
Mr. Blyth informs us that it is common in the hilly parts of India, and even in the Bengal Sundarbans. 
Some interesting particulars respecting the mode of indification of the Spotted Eagle in Bulgaria were 
communicated to “ The Ibis ” for 1861, by Mr. W. H. Simpson. In that country it would seem to be as common 
as it is in Lithuania or Pomer-ania. It is not difficult to please, according to all accounts, as to the situation 
of its nest, for in a district where an abundant supply of food is to be obtained, but where lofty trees are 
scarce, it will content itself with a pollard willow not much above a man’s' height, or if trees be altogether 
wanting it will accommodate itself on the grass—a strong contrast to the highly poetical notions of the rocky 
fortresses popularly associated with the idea of Eagles’ eyries. Yet with all this Aquila nwvia is a true Eagle, 
for the characters, which have led some Ornithologists to separate it from the larger species, such as 
the Golden and Imperial Eagles are of very slight importance, and the circumstance of the adaptability of its 
economy to the physical features of the various countries it inhabits is one which occurs among many birds of 
prey—even the noblest. In his “ Ootheca Wolleyana,” Mr. Alfred Newton mentions instances of the Gyr-Falcon 
occupying a nest on a tree instead of a rocky ledge, and others of the Peregrine Falcon condescending to form 
a nursery on the ground—the motive in both cases being probably the same as that above suggested, namely, 
the facility of procuring a good living afforded by the locality. 
The Spotted Eagle is rarely to be seen in captivity. Mr. Wolf’s drawing was taken from an individual 
living in the Society’s Gardens in 1852. 
