EAGLES 5 



in Nature, April 1879, an instance which occurred 

 in 1877 in xlchill Island, co. Mayo, where an eagle 

 belonging to Mr. Pike of Glendarary hatched two 

 goose eggs and fed the young on flesh. Other cases 

 are mentioned in The Field, May 18, 1889, April 27, 

 1895, and Feb. 22 and 29, 1896. The Common 

 Buzzard {q.v.) has a similar propensity. 



WHITE -TAILED EAGLE. Haliaetus albicilla (Lin- 

 naeus). PI. 1, figs. 2, 3, 3a. Length, ^ 33-5 in., 

 $ 38 in. ; wing, ^ 24-5 in., $ 26 in. ; tarsus, $ 4 in., 

 $ 4-5 in. 



Resident in Shetland, the north and west of 

 Scotland and Ireland ; nested formerly in Orkney, 

 in Westmorland, the Isle of Man, and Lundy Island ; 

 reported also to have nested formerly on the Dewer- 

 stone Rock, Bickleigh Vale, Devonshire (Rowe, 

 " Perambulation of Dartmoor," p. 232 ; and D'Urban 

 and Mathew, "Birds of Devon," p. 151); and in 

 1780 in the Isle of Wight (Warner, Hist. Isle of 

 Wight, 1795). Birds of the first year are regular 

 autumnal visitants to the south and south-east of 

 England, and when captured, or observed, are 

 almost invariably reported as " Golden Eagles." 

 The two species may be distinguished at any age 

 by their feet. The Golden Eagle has the legs 

 feathered to the base of the toes ; in the Sea- 

 Eagle the legs are bare. The average length of 

 an adult Sea-Eagle is 3 ft. to 3 ft. 4 in. ; expanse 

 of wing, 7 ft. 6 in. to 7 ft. 10 in. Weight, one from 

 Brighton, lOi lbs.; another from Arundel, barely 



