Page:Stray feathers. Journal of ornithology for India and its dependencies (IA strayfeathersjou11873hume).pdf/353

Notes upofi some of the Indian and European Eagles.

329 Phylloscopus Tytleri from P. viridanus and Hippolais agricolensis from P. Rama were real difficulties^ but to recog-nize Aq. ncevia in the spotted plumage is within the powers of the 'veriest tyro.

Very little is known of the nestling", or first plumage of the various eagles. I have not even described that of the two young Aq. vindhiana {A. ftdvescens) I procured from the nest two years ago. The eggs of eagles are so keenly sought after, that the important point of the first plumage has been neglected. Perhaps something may be done this year towards a knowledo-e of the first plumage of two or three of our eagles_, if only the love for egg-collecting be moderated. It would be interesting to shew whether the young eagles moulted their first plumage in the autumn after they were hatched or not. I cannot believe judging from the analogy of the common Indian kite, that the lineated stage of Aq. mogilnih is the first one. It ought to be the second. This, and many other similar points, will, it is to be hoped, be cleared up before long, as the study of natural history extends.

Although I and others have been writing about the various stages of plumage in eagles, we are still, many of us, ignorant of the first plumage ; and this ignorance might have been removed long ago, if the young birds had been looked to, instead of the mere acquisition of the egg shells. A knowledge of the eggs is no doubt interesting, but the birds themselves are of far greater interest ; and after all, eggs are but eggs, and merely temporary cases for the young, althoug'h they are often so beautiful. P. 8. Since writing the foregoing, I have seen the original' description of Aquila ncsvia by Brisson. The synonyms are Aquila navia, Schwenck, Avi. Sil., page 219. Aquila clanga, Klein. Avi., page 41, No. 6. Morjphio congener, Aldror, Avi. Tom. I., page 214. MorpJmo congener, Aldrova^idi, Willugh. Ornith., page 32.

In his description of Aquila clangx, Pallas quotes the above synonyms, omitting however the last, but adding Aquila minor, Bufibn, Orn. I., p. 91. It is thus clear, that to apply the term clanga to any eagle but the original spotted eagle described by the older authors, is a great mistake ; and it is utterly impossible to apply the term to Aq. hifasciata, which I have shewn is identical with Jq. orientalis, Cal. Clanga is not Pallas^s term, but is a synonym of A. ncevia ; and why it was preferred by Pallas, I do not know.

The total length of Aqtiila ncevia given by Brisson, is 2 feet equal to 2 feet 8f inches English 7 inches and six lines measurement I should have been inclined to think that there was some error here, but a second measurement of 2 feet 5 inches from tip of bill to end of claws 2 feet 6^ inches Eng:

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