202 AQUILA. EAGLE. 



with a broadisli dermal margin, beset with linear-lanceolate 

 feathers. 



The body is robust and compact, of great breadth anteriorly ; 

 the neck of moderate length ; the head large, roundish, very 

 broad behind, flattened above. The feet of moderate length, 

 extremely muscular ; the tarsus very short, thick, round, fea- 

 thered to the tarso-digital joint, in some species partially bare 

 and scaly. The toes of moderate length, very stout ; the 

 first and second shortest and thickest, the fourth next in 

 length, but the most slender ; the third and fourth connected 

 by a pretty large web, the third and second by a very slight 

 one ; all covered above by transverse series of roundish scales, 

 scutellate toward the end. Claws strong, tapering, curved, 

 rounded above, laterally flattened, very acute, concave, and 

 marginate beneath ; the first and second largest, the fourth 

 remarkably small, the third with an edge and a broad groove 

 on the inner side. 



Plumage compact and imbricated. The space from the eye 

 to the cere covered with very small bristle-feathers, which are 

 downy at the base. On the head and neck the feathers are 

 lanceolate and pointed, on the body broadly ovate ; the scapu- 

 lars large and strong ; outer tibial feathers elongated, the rest 

 short. The fore part of the breast in the region of the furcula, 

 the abdomen and part of the sides covered with downy feathers 

 only ; but a large tuft from the thorax overlaps the abdomen. 

 Wings very long, broad, and rounded, with twenty-seven 

 quills, and six strong humerals. The first quill of the same 

 length as the eighth, the second shorter than the fifth, the fourth 

 longest, the third almost as long ; the first six are abruptly cut 

 out on the inner web, and narrowed on the outer, leaving large 

 intervals when the wing is expanded ; the primaries pointed, 

 the secondaries very broad, broadly obtuse, with a minute tip. 

 Tail of moderate length, or rather long, rounded, extending 

 considerably beyond the tips of the wings, broad, of twelve very 

 broad feathers. 



This genus is composed of birds of large or moderate size, 

 some of which approach the Haliaeti in form, while others 

 manifest a direct affinitv to the Buzzards. In Haliaetus, the 



