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Show 1875.] RAPTORIAL BIRDS OF INDIA. 21 article on this Eagle), i. e. the adult bird minus the white scapulars. The first two changing Imperials which proved the key towards the solution of this (hitherto) vexed question* are now in the Norwich Museum, and form Nos. 2 & 3 of the series alluded to at p. 2 of ** Birds of Europe.' The Abyssinian Eagle referred to by Dr. Finsch under the term "imperialis"t is of course A. mogilnik. Very recently an immature example of the same bird was sent to me from Aden; it flew against the telegraph-wire and was captured alive. 27 bis. AQUILA BIFASCIATA, Gray & Hard. On account of the recent discussion that has taken place _j" relative to the distinctness or otherwise of A. orientalis from A. bifasciata, I have secured a very fine series of this Eagle. The acquisition, too, of several specimens of this bird from Russia (labelled A. clanga, by which term it is known to continental naturalists) has afforded Mr. Brooksand myself another opportunity of reexamining the large series at our command ; and we still hold to our former opinion, viz. that as regards coloration in every phase of plumage, including the adult bird with the nuchal buff patch, the two Eagles are identical. It is true that the European-killed examples we examined are a trifle smaller, the wing-measurements of the males being half an inch and in the case of females one inch less than Indian specimens. But against this (admitted) trivial difference, as regards size, in a bird measuring up to 32 inches in length, it should be borne in mind (1) that no reliance can be placed on the sexing of birds that are obtained from dealers (especially in this Eagle, for I have repeatedly found large males running into females), and (2) that in all probability the smallest specimens are sent out to this country, the largest, and consequently the best in the estimation of dealers, being retained for European collections. Colour is another point mooted by Mr. Gurney ; but this really goes for nothing, seeing that in this country we have dark birds as well as light-coloured ones ; and I possess specimens that have been bleached to a rufescent sandy colour. Mr. Gurney has been so good as to inform me that he has reexamined the type oi Aquila amurensis, Swinhoe, and that he has no doubt that it is an adult female of A. bifasciata. Such being the case, the wing-measurement as given by Mr. Swinhoe §, viz. 26| inches, must surely be wrong ; for I have never yet seen more than a 24-inch wing in this Eagle. Referring to the concluding portion of Mr. Gurney's letter in ' The Ibis' for 1873, page 99, I may mention having recently sent to him a very fine female A. bifasciata in the phase of plumage he therein alludes to. The peculiarity observed by Mr. Gurney is more more or less common in all immature birds ; and the specimen I have sent to * Cf. P. Z. S. 1872, pp. 620 & 621. t Cf Trans. Z. S. vol. vii. p. \ Cf ' Ibis' 1873, pp. 422 & 423, and ' Stray Feathers,' vol. i. p. 325. § Cf. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 338. |