The following description is extracted from the British Museum
Catalogue:—
Adult male.—Above brown, all the feathers broadly margined with
tawny rufous, except on the lower back and rump, where the
feathers are uniform brown ; entire head and neck tawny, with
narrow brown streaks down the centres of the feathers, more distinct
on the nape; sides of head and ear-coverts whitish, with narrow
rufous shaft-lines; entire under surface rich tawny, deepening into
chestnut on the abdomen and thighs, the throat and chest narrowly
shafted with dark brown, a little broader on the breast and decidedly
more distinct on the thighs, where the centres to the feathers are
also brown; under wing-coverts and axillaries rich tawny, the outer
median ones externally, and the greater coverts brown; upper wing-
coverts brown, edged with rufous like back, the least ones more
broadly; quills dark brown, the primaries externally shaded with
silvery grey, the secondaries a little paler, especially the inner ones,
which are light brown like the back, the primaries pure white for
greater part of inner web, secondaries mottled and broadly barred
with brown: upper tail-coverts brown, the external ones bright
tawny ; tail pale rufous, with white shafts, and inclining to whitish
towards base of centre feathers, the two outer ones externally shaded
with ashy grey, and marked near the end with an irregular spot of
brown; cere yellowish green; orbital ridge dusky greenish; bill
brownish plumbeous, yellow at gape, tip black ; feet grey, or pale
lemon yellow; iris brownish yellow. Total length 26 inches; culmen,
1 - 9 ; wing, 1 7 '7 ; tail, 1 0 * 5 ; tarsus, 3 ‘7 5 .
Adult female.—Similar to the male, but slightly larger. Total
length, 26 inches; culmen, 1-6; wing, 18‘4; tail, 10 5; tarsus, 3‘5.
Fig. Cretzschm. in Riipp. Atlas, taf. 27.
Sub-fam. AQUILINA1.
28. G y pa e tu s o ssifragus. Southern Laemmergeier.
This noble bird is locally distributed in the hilly parts of the
colony. We have seen it often in Bain’s Kloof, near Wellington ; also
in the high mountains round Mr. Jackson’s residence at Nel’s Port,
near Beaufort, and at Swellendam. From this gentleman we have
received sundry specimens, and he informs us that several pairs
constantly breed in his neighbourhood; also that they will kill
lambs and sickly sheep. A pair of young birds was sent to the South
African Museum from Graaff-Reinet by Mr. Ziervogel, thé member
for that division, who tells us that it is a constant (though rare)
resident there. Mr. Ayres writes :—" Not at all plentiful in Natal.
The only locality in which I have yet seen them, has been amongst
the rocky hills of the Inanda location.” He has more recently
obtained it in the Orange Free ‘State on a range of hills near
Eland’s River.
Mr. H. Bowker, Commandant of the Frontier Armed and Mounted
Police, writes in epistola : “ Do you know the story of the ‘ Arend’
among the Dutch ? It is supposed to be the Raven let out of the
Ark, and it is considered very unlucky to do it any injury. Family
sickness, insolvency, loss of cattle or sheep, are amongst the evils
which will fall on the unfortunate wight who may interfere with
them, so take care how you shoot one now that I have warned
you !”
Adult.—Top of head dirty white, bill black ; circle round the eyes,
space between them and bill covered with black stiff hair, which
extends on each side to the base of the lower mandible. A tuft of
similar hair, of considerable length, projects outwards from under
the bill. Back, wings, and tail dark blackish ash, each feather
being light in the centre and darker on the edges, with white shafts
and blotches. Shafts of wing and tail feathers white : tail wedge-
shaped. Under parts white, tinged and coated with a reddish
substance, which can be scraped off; iris pale yellow; sclerotic
membrane blood red. Length, 3’ 10"; wing, 2' 8"; tail, 1’ 9".
Young.—Quite different from the adult, being brown, the whole
of the head blackish ; quills and tail paler than the adult ; iris very
bright greyish brown.
Fig. Rüpp. Syst. Uebers, pl. 1.
29. A quila veh rea ux i. Yerreaux’s Eagle.
Mr. Andersson found this Eagle nesting in Little Namaqua Land on
lofty rocks, but he adds :—“ I cannot specify an instance of its occurrence
to the northward of the Orange River.”
Although it is found in North Eastern Africa, the limit to its
range in the southern part of that continent as above given by Mr.
Andersson seems to hold good.
Ver reaux’s eagle is not uncommon throughout the colony, wher