iS2 GOLDEN EAGLE. Class II. 



vidcnce denying a large increafe to rapacious birds*, 

 becaufe they are noxious to mankind; but gracioufly 

 bellowing an almoft boundlefs one on fuch as are 

 of ufe to us. This kind of eagle fometimes mi- 

 grates into Caernarvon/hire, and there are inftances, 

 thouf^h rare, of their having bred in Snowdon hills ; 

 from whence fome writers give that tra6l the name 

 of Creigiaiir cryraii^ or the eagle rocks •, others that 

 of Creigiaiir eira^ or the fnowy rocks •, the latter 

 feems the more natural epithet ; it being more rea- 

 fonable to imagine that thofe mountains, like Niph- 

 ates in Armenia^ and Imaiis-\ in 'Tartary^ derived 

 their name from the circumftance of being cover- 

 ed with fnow, which is fure to befal them near the 

 half of every year, than from the accidental ap- 

 pearance of a bird on them, once only in feveral 

 years. 

 Descrip. The golden eagle weighs about twelve pounds; 

 its length is three feet •, the extent of its wings fe- 

 ven feet four inches -, the bill is three inches long, 

 and of a deep blue color ; the cere is yellow ; the 

 irides of a hazel color : the fight and fenfe of fmel- 

 ling are very acute : her eyes heboid afar offiji : the 

 head and neck are cloathed with narrow Iharp 

 pointed feathers, and of a deep brown color, bor- 



* Tcov yafx-^oivvxj^v oXiyoTOKa 'S^avla, Arift. hifl. an. 



f Imaus incolarum lingua nivofum fignificante. P/in, 



lib. 6. c. 21. 

 t Job 39, 27. Where the natural lijilory of the eagle is 



tjnely drawn ud, 



dered 



