328
Notes upon some of the Indian and European Eagles.
with Aq. bifasciata vel orientalis j for Pallas says, the tail is: black, " Cauda nigra" ; again he says, the back is black, dorsum nigrum." This could only apply to our Indian spotted eagle which frequently has the plumage very dark indeed and nearly black. The legs are said to be " nigricante albo varies" The white tarsus, or partly white tarsus is characteristic of Aq. navia, I mean of Aquila nmvia, as we know it in India, for Mr. Gurney now separates our bird as Aq. vittata, Hodgson. This I cannot understand, and he must prove the assertion before it can be generally received. Pallas, after saying that the back is black as well as the tail, and surely he could not have overlooked the strongly barred grey tail of Aq. bifasciata vel orientalis, says, the wing coverts are spotted with white, (" tectricibus albo variegatis"). Altogether, as far as I can understand his description, it is utterly impossible to apply it to Aquila bifasciata vel orientalis, but it suits large examples of our Indian spotted eagle and no other bird that I know of. This bird I have procured measuring 2 feet 44 inches total length wing, 20^ inches; and weighing 6j lbs., a female of course. This species varies excessively in size, and I have some very small examples, barely exceeding Aq. hastata, in size. The way in which A. hastata and our Indian spotted eagle, which we call navia approach each other as regards size, renders it difficult to find out which the original A. navia was. I have an excessively meagre description by Gmelin, which to
- me appears to indicate the bird we
recognize as naevia in India, although some of the English naturalists evidently receive another bird as ncBvia. I believe the original description, which I have never seen, is by Brisson. The two Turkish spotted eagles sent me by Captain Elwes, as I mentioned before, are identical to a feather with our Indian A. ncevia in the same plumage. Mr. Gurney suggests that I may have received the immature of Aq. orientalis. This is quite impossible, for the two birds have the perfect ncevia spotted plumage, and, moreover, have the small roundish nostril of that species ; besides, they have plain black tails, which Aq. orientalis has not. It would be rather strange too, if I who have shot so many of this species in this very plumage, and who have had at least four times the number of specimens through my hands that any of the English ornithologists "have had, should not know the bird when I see it from Europe. I have seen most of the specimens belonging to Messrs. Hume, Anderson, and Marshall However, when I submit the birds at a as well as my own. meeting of Z. S., there will be no doubt upon this point, and To separate this I shall do unless my identifications are accepted.
