sea-eagle. 51 



the fourth and fifth quills longest ; the primary quills 

 broad, tapering, but rounded at the end ; the secon- 

 dary broad and rounded. Tail of moderate length, 

 rounded, of twelve broad feathers. 



The genus Haliaetus, of which our own White-tailed 

 Sea- Eagle, H, Albicilla, the White-headed Eagle of 

 America, H. leucocephalusy and the White-bellied Eagle 

 of Australia, H. leucogasier, are the most characteristic 

 species known to me, is composed of large birds, or- 

 ganized for rapine, but also content to live occasional- 

 ly on carrion of all kinds. They frequent the shores 

 of the sea, rivers, and lakes, and feed on the fish which 

 they find dead, or which they catch in shallow water 

 The American species robs the fish-hawk, Pandion 

 Haliaetus, in the same manner as the birds of the ge- 

 nus Lestris rob the smaller gulls and terns. In this 

 respect, therefore, as well as in the comparatively elon- 

 gated form of the bill, the genus Haliaetus approaches, 

 although distantly, to Lestris and Cataractes, which, 

 with Tachypetes, seem to unite the web-footed birds 

 with the vultures, eagles, and hawks. There is also a 

 striking resemblance between the bill of Haliaetus Al- 

 bicilla, and that of the large gulls and the albatross, 

 and these birds are to some extent alHed in their ha- 

 bits. On the other hand, its affinity to Aquila and 

 Pandion is so direct, that the species of the three ge- 

 nera form a gradual passage into each other. The 

 Brazilian Eagle, Polyborus, and some other groups, 

 form the transition to the vultures ; and the Serpent- 

 eater of Africa, Gypogeranus, looks like an eagle ele- 

 vated on the long legs of a crane. The habits of the 



