seen in the Himalayas are the imperial eagle
(_Aquila helica_), the booted eagle (_Hieraetus pennatus_),
Bonelli's eagle (_Hieraetus fasciatus_), the changeable hawk-eagle
(_Spizaetus limnaetus_), and Hodgson's hawk-eagle (_Spizaetus
nepalensis_).

The imperial eagle has perhaps the darkest plumage of all the eagles.
This species does not live up to its name. It feeds largely on carrion,
and probably never catches anything larger than a rat. The imperial
eagle is common about Mussoorie except in the rains. Captain Hutton
states that he has seen as many as fifty of them together in the month
of October when they reassemble after the monsoon.

The booted eagle has a very shrill call. Its lower parts are pale
in hue.

Bonelli's eagle is fairly common both at Naini Tal and Mussoorie.
It is a fine bird, and has plenty of courage. It often stoops to fowls
and is destructive to game birds. It is of slighter build than the
two eagles above described. Its lower parts are white.

The changeable hawk-eagle is also a fine bird. It is very addicted
to peafowl. The hillmen call it the _Mohrhaita_, which, being
interpreted, is the peacock-killer. It utters a loud cry, which
Thompson renders _whee-whick_, _whee-whick_. This call is uttered
by the bird both when on the wing and at rest. Another cry of this
species has been syllabised _toot_, _toot_, _toot_, _toot-twee_.

Hodgson's hawk-eagle is also destructive to game. It emits a shrill
musical whistle which can sometimes be heard when the bird is so high
as to appear a mere speck against the sky. This species has a narrow
crest.

Allied to the true eagles are the serpent-eagles. In these the leg
is not feathered to the toe, so they may be said to form a link between
the true eagles and the falcons.

One species--the crested serpent-eagle (_Spilornis cheela_)--is
common in the Himalayas up to 8000 feet.

This eagle is perhaps the most handsome of the birds of prey. The
crest is large and imposing. The upper parts are dark brown, almost
black, with a purple or green gloss. The breast and under parts are
rich deep brown profusely dotted with white ocelli. On the tail and
wings are white bars. The wing bars are very conspicuous during flight.
The crested serpent-eagle flies with the wings held very far back,
so that it looks, as "Exile" says, like a large butterfly. When flying
it constantly utters its shrill, plaintive call composed of two short
sharp cries and three prolonge