The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1910-05-19


at the Natural History muse
um. Cromwell road, none is
|1 more striking or of greater in
terest than the mounted speci-
men Of the magnificent and
very rare eagle scientifically known as
Pithecophaga Jeneryi. It IL at present
on exhibition In = special case in the
great central hall. where 1t may more
readily be seen by the numbers Of Wis
itors who throng the museum during
the holidays. Up to the present time
very few examples Of this extremely
local species have been procured. and
the individual now ON view, which
lived for nearly six months at Re-
gents's park. was the first Of its kind
to reach any geological garden. It was
captured on the Island of Mindanao
In moose set BY natives, the bait be-
Ing small pig. Thanks to the efforts
Of Mr.. Willoughby p Lowe 1t reached
London in the end Of August, 1908. in
fine condition. and it, loss IL greatly
to be regretted. At the time Of It's
death 1t had almost completed its
moult and 10 consequently in very fne
feather.
The mounting Of this eagle was In
trusted to Messrs. Rowland Ward, linn
tied. of Piccadilly. who have. with
great skin. removed its entire ekele-
ton. which il placed alongside the bird
It will be seen that this dimcult feat
has been performed without in any
way damaging the specimen. The
possession Of 4 complete skeleton Of
this remarkable raptor is of the ut
most value in determining its true as.
hnities. It was originally contended
BY the writer. when he first described
the species from a skin in 1879, that
the nearest ally Of Pithecophaga was
the harp-eagle (Thrasaetus harpyia) Of
South America, and It has now been
clearly shown BY Mr.. Pycraft that this
Is undoubtedly the case, and that its
ahinities are not with the serpent
eagles (Spilornis). as the late DR..
Sharpe had supposed.
The enormous size Of the skull.
which greatly exceeds that of the
harpy eagle, is we'll shown in the &C.
companying photograph. The discov.
cry Of this mighty bird of prey was
without doubt the most remarkable
Of the late Mr.. John Whiteheads
achievements during his exploration Of
the Philippine islands in 1895
Mr.. Whitehead first visited Daman
In July. 1895. and made a fine collec-
ton of birds, but this was entirely de.
stroyed by fire through the home
bound ship being burned out in Sing.
apore. ITS an Ill wind that blows no
body good!" Owing to this misfor.
tune he was persuaded to return and
make good his loss. and 1t was during
his second visit In May. 1896, that he
obtained a male example of this won.
derfnl eagle. 1t is certainly one of the
most remarkable birds that has been
discovered in modern times.
The trees in the vast forests on the
Pacific coast Of Samar are often vary
high. some attaining the gigantic stat
ure Of two hundred and forty feet or
more. as was ascertained by the actual
measurement Of fallen trunks On
more than one occasion Mr., White.
head had noticed this large eagle dy-
ing along the edge Of the forest and
had frequently heard its peculiar plain.
tive cry. "w-au wau:" but it seemed
unlikely that he would be able to a.
cure specimen. One morning. how
ever. his servant returned with thia
huge bird which he had shot with an
old muzzle-loader. luckily putting one
buck shot into his neck. He had been
fortunate enough to see the bird nerch
on one Of the highest trees, and thn.
obtained q chance Of shooting -
Though mortally wounded. the ea.,e
fastened its talons round n.
branch in its death-grip and bnne
firmly fixed near the ton ~
the tree. AZ several other .hot.
failed to move It. the man. soon.
q than lose the bird. climbed the trae
and secured the prize. The natives -
Samar knew this eagle we'll as = roh.
bsr Of their poultry and small Dig. Int
said that it preyed chiefly on the eresn
mcnksys (Maoacus cynomolsnsl
which are the only animals sum aoisntiv
abundant In those forests to sunnort
such . large bird. That was The ~.
tory Of the typsspscimen which y