Class II. S E A E A G L E. 169 



gave occafion to fome writers to fuppofe it to be the 

 aquila bar bat a or bearded eagle of Pliny. The in- 

 terior fides, and the tips of the feathers of the tail, 

 are of a deep brown ; the exterior fides of fome are 

 ferruginous, in others blotched with white. The 

 legs are yellow, ftrong and thick; and feathered but 

 little below the knees -, which is an invariable fpe- 

 cific difference between this and our firft fpecies. 

 This nakednefs of the legs is befides no fmall con- 

 venience to a bird who preys among the waters. 

 The claws are of a deep and (hining black, ex- 

 ceedingly large and ftrong, and hooked into a per- 

 fe6l femicircle ; thofe of the hind and firft toe are 

 an inch and a half long. 



All writers agree, that this eagle feeds principal- 

 ly on fifli ; which it takes as they are fwimming 

 near the furface *, by darting itfelf down on them ; 

 not by diving or fwimming, as feveral authors 

 have invented, who furnifti it for that purpofe 

 with one webbed foot to fvvim with, and another 

 divided foot to take its prey with. PUny^ with his 

 ufual elegance, defcribes the manner of its fiihing. 

 Supereft haliaetos^ clariffima oculorum acie^ librans ex 

 alto fefe^ vifoque in mari pifce^ pr^ceps in eum ruensy 

 €t difcuffis pe5lore aquis rapiens, 



* Martin^ fpeaking of what he calls the great eagles in the 

 weftern ifles, fays, that they faften their talons in the back of 

 the fi(h, commonly of falmon, which are often above water, 

 or on the furface. Thofe of Greenland will even take a young 

 feal out of the water. 



Vol. I. N It 



Food, 



