208 AQUILA CIIRYSAETUS. 



the first four inches and a half shorter than the second, which 

 was half an inch shorter than the third ; the tail very slightly 

 rounded, the lateral feathers only ten-twelfths shorter than the 

 longest. The general colour of the plumage dark-brown ; the 

 upper part of the head, hind part and sides of the neck, inner 

 tibial feathers, those of the tarsus, and the lower tail-coverts, 

 yellowish-brown. The edge of the wing greyish-brown ; the 

 wing-coverts and inner secondaries edged with brownish- white ; 

 the primary quills brownish-black, their inner webs mottled 

 with greyish ; the secondaries brown, with their inner and part 

 of their outer webs variegated with greyish-white. The tail 

 brownish-black at the end, greyish-brown in the rest of its ex- 

 tent, with faint irregular bars of grey. The base of the plumage 

 white, conspicuous on the hind-neck, when the feathers are 

 raised. 



Length to end of tail 87 inches ; extent of wings 87 ; wing 

 from flexure 26^ ; tail 14 ; bill along the ridge 2/^, along the 

 edge of lower mandible 2|, cere i§ ; tibia 7i ; tarsus 4i ; first 

 toe ly^g, its claw 2/^ ; second toe 1^%^ its claw 2^^ ; third toe 

 2i^j, its claw li"| ; fourth toe 1{S, its claw 1^%. 



Variations. — Adult individuals differ little in colour. Males 

 vary from two feet six inches to thirty-four inches or somewhat 

 more ; females from two feet ten to three feet two or three 

 inches. Males generally measure about six feet in alar extent, 

 and females about seven ; the smallest male measured by me 

 was only five feet six, and the largest female seven feet three 

 inches ; but larger measurements have been given. The fol- 

 lowing tables of variations in the number of scutella, and in the 

 dimensions of the digestive organs, may be useful : — 



M. 



Scutella on first toe 4 



Second toe 8 



Third toe 4 



Fourth toe ... 8 



