5to Natural History in Ireland : — 



F. Albicilla, White-tailed eagle, re,c* 1 F. iVisus, Sparrowhawkj 

 Osslfragus, Sea eagle, re, c J ^uteo, Buzzard, re, c 



* Eagles in the plumage of Albicilla and Osslfragus are very common 

 here ; and, from this circumstance, I have had many opportunities of 

 observing them in a wild state, and watching them in confinement : the 

 result of this has been, a conviction in my mind that they arc the same 

 bird at different ages. I have been fortunate enough, through the kindness 

 of my friends, to procure three for my museum ; and, as they ' show the 

 gradual change from Ossifragus to Albicilla, I will shortly allude to them 

 all. The first, a young female (I should suppose in its third year, from its 

 similarity to one I have in confinement), is in what is described as the per- 

 fect plumage of Ossifragus, having the blue bill, brown iris, dark-coloured 

 neck and back, and brownish black tail speckled with dirty white, of that 

 bird. The second, a large female, 14 lbs. weight, I suppose in its fourth or 

 fifth year, has the fine yellow bill and pale yellow iris of Albicilla, with the 

 plumage the same as Ossifragus, except the tail, which, from the predominant 

 distribution of white in it, though still mottled with brown, renders it 

 proper that it should be referred to Albicilla. I am sure, from the mode in 

 which the white is distributed, in large patches, on the tail, that it would, 

 at its next moult, have got the white tail of Albicilla, and probably, the year 

 after, the cinereous neck and back, which would then make it the perfect 

 white-tailed eagle. It thus forms the connecting link between the first and 

 third, which is an old male, with the yellow beak, pale yellow iris, cinereous 

 . neck, breast and back shaded with pale brown, pure white tail, and perfect 

 plumage of Albicilla. I have also procured five young ones from the nest, 

 and of these I have two in confinement. One of these, a male (now in 

 its third year), taken from a nest attended by two white-tailed eagles, still 

 preserves the plumage of Ossifragus, with the blue bill, brown iris, and 

 brownish tail of that bird, though I can, this year, perceive a slight approach, 

 in the two former particulars, to yellow, and, in the latter, to white. The 

 other, now in its second year, and which, from its much larger size, I 

 conclude is a female, was also taken from an eyry attended by two white- 

 tailed eagles, and is also in the plumage of Ossifragus, differing only from 

 the other, at its corresponding age, in having the feathers on the back 

 much lighter; arising, probably, from sexual difference, or from its having 

 been more exposed to the weather. I also saw, this year, one of two 

 young ones taken from a nest in the full plumage of Ossifragus ; and as the 

 male bird was caught in a trap, attending this nest, and is the one described 

 above in the perfect plumage of Albicilla (now in my collection), I think 

 the most sceptical can have little doubt of Ossifragus being the immature 

 offspring of Albicilla. I have been thus particular on this subject, as, from 

 the numbers here, I enjoy opportunities of investigation which fall to the 

 lot of but few ; and which I have, therefore, been anxious to take advan- 

 tage of, particularly so, as it is a question which has been so long discussed 

 -by many eminent and zealous naturalists, among whom I am happy to find 

 the illustrious names of Cuvier and Temminck according with my opinions. 

 The male bird is always much the smaller, and is the lesser white-tailed 

 eagle of Latham. In spring, I have seen the white-tailed eagle apparently 

 paired with Ossifragus; and I have reason to believe tliat they breed 

 together, a circumstance well calculated to prove their identity. The 

 males, at this season, are very assiduous in their attentions to the females, 

 and very pugnacious in their rivalry to enjoy their regards. Some time 

 ago, two of them, near this, fought so furiously for a female, who remained 

 soaring above them, that having, in the contest, fixed their talons firmly 

 into each other's breasts, they dropped to the ground, and there con- 

 tinued their struggle so fiercely, that a peasant passing by was enabled to 



