niuTi^ii jiums' XESTS. 79 



EAGLE, WHITE-TAILED. Ahn Sea Eagle. 



Desci-iptioii of Fdrent Birds. — Len^-tli about 

 twenty-eight inches. Beak somewhat lengthened 

 and nearly straight, excejit at the tip, where the 

 upper mandible is much hooked. It is very stronf»-, 

 horn colour at the tip, and yellow at the base, as 

 is also 'the l)are skin surrounding that part. Irides 

 very light yellow. Head and neck ash-brown, vary- 

 ing in line with age ; back and wings dark brown, 

 a few lighter-coloured feathers being intermingled ; 

 wing-quills dusky-black. Tail white. Breast and 

 under parts dark brown. Legs and toes yellow ; 

 claws black. 



The female is larger than the male, and both 

 are subject to great variation in the colour of 

 their plumage. 



Sifuafion and LoeaUtij. — On ledges and in holes 

 of high inaccessible cliffs, generally near the sea ; 

 in a tree or upon the ground on a small rocky island 

 in the middle of a mountain loch. On the AVest 

 Coast of Scotland and the surrounding islands, and 

 in Ireland. 



MateriaU. — Sticks, twigs, seaweed, heather, 

 grass, and wool. The nest is often a huge structure, 

 from the fact that the bird adds to it year by year. 

 Specimens have been known measuring as much as 

 five feet across. It is very shallow. 



Eggs. — Two generally, sometimes only one ; and 

 upon exceptional occasions three have been found. 

 White, usually quite unspotted, but uj^on rare 

 occasions specimens have been found slightly 

 marked with pale red. Average size about 3'0 by 

 2-25 in. 



Time. — March, Aj)ril, and May. 



