334 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



left foot, against a branch while preparing for flight as its 

 enemy, man, approached. The bird flew about two hundred 

 yards and then settled on the ground, when Mr. Mallinson 

 killed it with a stick. It proved to be in poor condition 

 owing, doubtless, to the encumbrance of the trap, and is 

 supposed to have been in the neighbourhood for some time, 

 as the farmers had complained of trapped rabbits being torn 

 to pieces in the snares. The dimensions of the specimen 

 were : total length 3 feet i inch, expanse of wings 8 feet 

 2 J inches, weight 9^ lbs. Mr. R. Butterfield of Wilsden 

 supplied me with further particulars to the effect that the 

 l)asal two-thirds of the tail is white, and the acuminated 

 tips of the feathers in the cervical parts appear to indicate 

 the tawny colour of the adult. The gizzard contained some 

 hare's fur and sheep's wool. The specimen, which is supposed 

 to be a third year's bird, was preserved by Mr. G. Widdas 

 of Bradford, and is in the possession of its captor. 



WHITE-TAILE3 EAGLE. 



Haliaetus albicilla (L.). 



Casual visitant, of rare occurrence, chiefly in winter, and near 

 the coast, but not confined to that district. 



The earliest published reference to this bird in Yorkshire 

 is contained in the Tunstall MS. (1784), where it is stated, 

 under the heading of " Cinereous Eagle," to have been " not 

 unfrequently shot in Yorkshire," though as Tunstall did not 

 himself see the specimens he could not determine the species. 

 (Fox's " Synopsis," p. 47.) 



Thomas Allis, in 1844, wrote : — 



HalicBtus albicilla. — White-tailed Eagle — Several specimens have 

 been killed in the North and East Ridings. I have notice of only one 

 in the West Riding, shot at Okeley, and which went into the possession 

 of Mr. John Childers. 



The White-tailed or Sea Eagle is but a very occasional 



