Sub-fam. 3. _Accipitrinae._–First of this group may be placed six genera of "Harrier-Eagles," classed as Circaëtinae by the late J. H. Gurney,[135] of which _Herpetotheres cachinnans_, ranging from South Mexico to Bolivia and Paraguay, is the only American representative. It is a crested bird, of a brown colour above, relieved by creamy buff, which extends over the whole under surface, the nape and face being mostly black. It eats snakes, and sits aloft bobbing its head while uttering a gruff "ha-ha." Of the African genus _Circaëtus_ one species, _C. gallicus_–Jean-le-blanc of the French–extends from Southern and Central Europe to Palestine, India, North China, Timor, and Flores. It is dark brown above, and white with blackish-brown streaks and bars below, the secondaries and tail having white tips, and the latter three dusky cross-bands. This sluggish but bold denizen of the plains may be seen perched on trees, quartering the ground with heavy flapping flight, or anon poising itself aloft on motionless wings, the harsh noisy cry being varied by a twittering note. Snakes form its favourite food, while frogs and fish from the shallows, small mammals, birds, lizards, crabs, and insects add to its daily fare. The bulky nest of sticks, bedded with grass or green leaves, is situated on trees, bushes, or even rocky ledges; a single bluish-white egg–or exceptionally two–being deposited. The female sits very closely, and both parents sometimes attack intruders. _C. cinereus_, of most of the Ethiopian Region, has the chest brownish-black and the belly white; _C. fasciolatus_ of Natal, and the similar _C. beaudouini_ of Senegal and North-East Africa, have the former part fulvous-brown, and the latter barred with dusky; _C. cinerascens_ of the east and west of that continent is much greyer below, with narrower bars. _Helotarsus ecaudatus_ of the whole Ethiopian Region is black, with maroon back and tail, and a broad grey band across the secondaries; {154}the wide crest, short rectrices, red cere, lores and feet, rendering it most remarkable. _H. leuconotus_ is hardly more than a creamy-backed variety. It sails aloft in powerful style, and dashes like lightning upon the snakes, mammals, and lizards, which form its prey; the nest of sticks is placed in trees or rocks, and contains, it is said, from two to four white eggs. The crested _Eutriorchis_ of Madagascar, and _Dryotriorchis_ of the Gold Coast, short of wing but long of tail, should probably be placed here. A fine broad crest also adorns _Spilornis_, of which genus some seven members occur in the Indian Region, and the Celebes group. _S. undulatus_ (_cheela_), extending from India to China, has the head black and white, the remaining plumage brown, with whitish markings above, round white spots below, and a broad light band across the white-tipped tail. _S. sulaënsis_ of the Sula Islands differs in being barred beneath; _S. holospilus_ of the Philippines has the whole body spotted.