AQUILA NAVIA.
Spotted Kage.

Falco nevius et maculatus, Gmel. edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 258.
Aquila nevia, Meyer, Taschenb. Deutschl., Vog., tom. i. p. 19.
pomarina, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl., tom. i. eee

planga, Vieill. Ency. Méth. Orn., part iii. p. 1190.

—— bifasciata, Hornsch.

 

 

 

melanaetos, Savig. Descr. de Egypte, Hist. Nat., tom.
—— wittata, Hodgs. in Gray’s Zool. Misc., 1844, p. 81?
——— anatraja, Savi, Orn. Tosc., tom. ii. eee

Spizaetus fuscus, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xxxii. p. 60.

oon

AurnoucH the Spotted Eagle is one of the smallest membe

rs of its genus, it is in every respect a
true dquila; and had it been a native of the B

ritish Islands instead of an accidental visitor, it would
have been an important species in the Raptorial division of our avifauna. In Mr. Rodd’s useful
‘List of British Birds as a guide to the Ornithology of Cornwall,’ two instances are given of its
occurrence in that county in the following words :—

“The capture of the first English example of this rare Eagle took place on the 4th of December,
1860, in the eastern part of Cornwall, at a large covert called Hawk’s Wood, the property of Francis
Rodd, Esq., of Trebartha Hall, adjoining the large moors between Hawk’s Tor and Kilmar, and not
very far from the well-known Cheese-wring. Hawk’s Tor and Kilmar Tor rank amongst the highest
hills in Cornwall, reaching in altitude from 1000 to 1200 feet; the characters of these hills and the
moors about them in every direction are exactly similar to those on Dartmoor; in fact, the range
is a continuation of the great granite tract extending, with some few interruptions, to the Land’s-end.
The bird was first observed in a tree, from which, on the approach of the shooting party, instead of
soaring, it shuffled down, and scrambled under some rocks; its condition was beyond the average of
birds of prey, large masses of fat encircling the gizzard, which, on dissection, was entirely empty; one
of the wing-bones was broken, but whether with shot or otherwise I could not determine; the body,
wings, and every part of the bird exhibited the most perfect form; but probably the injury above
mentioned prevented it from taking flight. It was a male in the first year’s plumage, and weighed
4 lbs. 1 2.

**A second example, almost in a similar state of plumage, was killed near Carnanton, in November,
1861; it is now in the Truro Museum,” whence it was kindly sent up to London for my use; and
my best thanks are here offered to Dr. Barham and the Council of the Royal Institution of Cornwall
for the service they thus rendered to the present work. It will be seen by the binder fgure how
much the young and adult differ in plumage. No other species of Aguila, in fact, ofiens) se great a
contrast, the livery in the latter state being nearly uniform in colour, while the other is so much
marked and Merentenced. It is somewhat strange that this continental species should have visited
one of our southern counties, while, according to Mr. Rodd, the Golden Eagle, a bird which commonly
breeds in Scotland, should never have been seen there; it forms another instance in exemplification
of the western movement of Continental species.

Although I have given precedence to the English-killed specimens of the epottey Eagle, I ayes
not fail to state that a place in our avifauna was first assigned to He lay Mr. Yarrell me ie supplement
to his ‘History of British Birds,’ where he says, ‘ For the particulars of the Gceumience of this fe
addition to the ornithology of the British Islands, I am indebted to MTC he Oo : a :
“This specimen,” observes Mr. Davis, “ was shot on the CSHeNe of the Earl of ee ve ee ae
time in a fallow field devouring a rabbit. Another bird similarly marked, but reported to ie ake é
shade of brown, was shot at the same place within a few days, but unfortunately ae not ei ; o
had been noticed during the two previous months, sweeping over the low grounds in the neighbourhood,

‘ Ne = ~ ?
which is near Youghal, and between Castle Martyr and Clay Castle. te
is the southern and eastern countries of Europe, North Africa,

The proper home of the Aguila nevia ee . :
hor : ly, because the bird inhabiting the Indian

Asia Minor, Palestine, and probably Western India; I say probab ah auglontes Delicues
Peninsula has by some writers been considered distinct; but Mr. Blyth, no ee a . 7 ie

° Tomnalavas eerie wooded and water
in their identity, and says the bird is also abundant in the Himalayas, and in the y

portions of Central and Southern India.