THE WHITE-TAILED EAGLE 141 



immeasurably more plucky and pugnacious at its 

 threatened nest. The impression that Eagles are 

 fierce and courageous is a widely prevailing one, 

 yet a very erroneous one ; and in this respect 

 they more closely resemble the Vultures than the 

 Falcons and Hawks. We should also state that 

 this Eagle most probably pairs for life. 



The general colour of the upper parts of the 

 White-tailed Eagle is brown, paler on the head and 

 nape, which in very old birds are almost white ; 

 the quills are nearly black ; the under parts are 

 very dark brown ; the tail is pure white. The 

 female resembles the male in colour, but is slightly 

 larger and darker. The young bird is much 

 darker than the adult, and the plumage is more 

 mottled ; the tail is dark brown. The total length 

 of the male of this Eagle is about twenty-nine 

 inches, the female four or five inches more. 



