. The birds of South Africa. Birds. FALCONID^ CIECABTUS 325 With white mottling. In an internaediate stage the underparts are brown much varied with white. The nestling is covered with white down. Distribution.—This Harrier Eagle is apparently confined to south and east Africa, though Gurney in his long discussion on the relations of this species with the true G. cinereus gives references to accounts of specimens from Senegal and Abyssinia. In South Africa at any rate the Black-breasted Harrier Eagle is widely distributed throughout, as shown by the following recorded locahties: Cape Colony—Ma
. The birds of South Africa. Birds. FALCONID^ CIECABTUS 325 With white mottling. In an internaediate stage the underparts are brown much varied with white. The nestling is covered with white down. Distribution.—This Harrier Eagle is apparently confined to south and east Africa, though Gurney in his long discussion on the relations of this species with the true G. cinereus gives references to accounts of specimens from Senegal and Abyssinia. In South Africa at any rate the Black-breasted Harrier Eagle is widely distributed throughout, as shown by the following recorded locahties: Cape Colony—Malmesbury, George, Beaufort West, Albany and Bathurst divisions (Layard), Oudtshoorn (Victorin), Kuruman (Gurney); plentiful in Natal (Woodward); Transvaal— Potchefstroom in winter (Ayres); Ehodesia—Fort Chiquaqua (Sowerby), Salisbury (Marshall); Damaraland (Andersson).. Fig. 109.—Circaetus pectoralis. x |. Habits.—This bird is not very common in the Colony and is found chiefly in mountainous districts where there is timber and water. It is wild and somewhat shy and may be seen soaring- at a great height in the air. It is said to be destructive to lambs and also preys on poultry, but there is no doubt that its food consists chiefly of reptiles and frogs and especially of snakes. Ayres found in the stomach of one killed by him in Natal the remains of a poisonous snake, the Mamba {Dendraspis angusticeps), which could. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Stark, Arthur Cowell, d. 1899; Sclater, William Lutley, 1863-1944; Sclater, William Lutley, 1863-1944. Fauna of South Africa. London, R. H. Porter
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