696 



SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS. — RAPTORES — A CCIPITRES. 



Fig. 473.- 

 H. W. Elliott. 



- The Eyrie of the Golden Eagle. (Designed by 



sometimes iu a tree, the nest a platform of sticks, etc., sometimes acquiring enormous dimen- 

 sions, by repair and addition year after year. The eggs are subspherical and equal-ended ; 

 five selected specimens measure : 2.05 X 2.15, 2.90 X 2.40, 3.00 X 2.35, 3.10 X 2.25, 3-25 X 



2.55 ; average of many more, 3.00 X 

 2.30 ; in 12 oases, only one is white like 

 a Bald Eagle's; the rest are whitish, 

 wholly indeterminately spotted, splashed 

 and smirched with rich sienna, umber, 

 and bistre browns, with neutral-tint shell- 

 markings; 2 or 3 are laid, at times vary- 

 ing with latitude from midwinter to June. 

 The prowess of this Eagle is such that it 

 can prey upon fawns and lambs; but its 

 habitual (juarry is much more liumble. 

 HALIAE'TUS. (Gr. akidfros, Jialiaetos, 

 a sea-eagle; i. e., the osprey.) Sea 

 Eagi,es. Fishing Eagles. General 

 characters of Aquila, but tarsi only feath- 

 ered about Jdown, and no webbing between 

 outer and middle toes. This nakedness of 

 shank is an infallible character : among 

 the several different "kinds" of Eagles 

 popularly attributed to North America, 

 only two species have been found on this 

 continent : the one with feathered shanks 

 is Aquila chrysnetus ; the one with scaly shanks is Haltaetiis leucocejjhalus, whatever its size 

 or color. The reader of popular periodical literature about birds who comes across startling 

 statements of Eagles six feet long and ten feet broad may safely set them down to the credit 

 of journalistic enterprise, ah)ng with monkey-faced Owls, four-winged Quelelis, flying wolves, 

 two-headed snakes, and other fishy fairy tales. The scutellation of the tarsus varies in this 

 species; there is normally a short row of scales in fnnit, discontinued about the bases of the 

 toes, where are granular reticulations, the scutellation being resumed farther on the toes. 

 Wings pointed by 3d-5th quills ; 2d nearly equal to 6th; 1st longer than 9th; 5 to 6 einar- 

 giuate on inner webs. Tail rounded, of 12 rectrices. Feathers of neck all ai'ound lance- 

 acute, discrete. About 8 species of this genus are recognized ; one of them is appropriate to 

 this continent ; another occurs in Greenland. 



Analysis of Species. 



Adult with head and tail white leucocephalus 



Adult with tail only white albicilla 



H. albicilla. (Lat. albicilla, white-tailed.) White-tailed Sea Eagle. Erne. Adult 

 ^ 9 : Dark brown, blackening on prunaries ; head and neck gray ; tail white. Bill and feet 

 yellow. Young with tail not white, and otherwise ditfta-ent, the whole plumage much varied 

 with light and dark browns. Lengtli of (J nearly or about 3 feet ; wiug 2 feet ; tail a foot ; 

 tarsus 3.50 inches ; bill 2.00 or more ; 9 larger : length up to 3J feet ; wing 2^ feet, etc. 

 Europe, etc., only North American as occurring in Greenland, where it breeds, making its 

 eyrie on cliffs; eggs 1-.3, usually 2, averaging abont 3.10 X 2. 25, white. 

 H. leucoceph'alus. (Gr. XfVKos, leucos, white ; K€(f)a\fi, Tcephale, head. Fig. 474.) White- 

 headed Sea Eagle. "Bald Eagle." "Bird of Washington " (the young). Adult 

 ^9: Dark brown: quills black; head and tail white; bill, eyes, and feet yellow. Length 



