58 HALIAETUS ALBICILLA. 



the highest degree. Its wings are expanded to their 

 full length, forming an obtuse angle with the back ; and 

 as it sweeps along in wide curves, it seems to glide 

 through the air without the least effort, and with very 

 little motion of the wings or tail. The feet are drawn 

 close to the abdomen, and concealed among the fea- 

 thers, and the neck is retracted to such a degree that 

 the head seems stuck upon the shoulders. In this 

 manner it searches the hill sides, the moors, and the 

 shores; but in proceeding to a distance, without regard- 

 ing the intermediate space, it flies in a straight line, 

 always at a great height, and with regular flaps, some- 

 what in the manner of the raven. 



It utters a loud shrill scream, which in calm weather 

 may be heard at the distance of more than a mile, and 

 when angry, as well as on various occasions, emits a 

 noise, somewhat resembling the yelping of a dog, which 

 may be imitated by the syllables kooluk, kooluk, klooh, 

 klook. 



I have seen it sailing slowly over the sea, apparently 

 on the look-out for fishes, which it is said occasionally 

 to seize as they approach the surface ; and it is some- 

 times observed watching by a lake or stream for sal- 

 mon or trouts, which it secures in shallow water. My 

 friend Mr Bushnan of Dumfries mentions, in his Intro- 

 duction to the Study of Nature, an occurrence con- 

 nected with this habit. " Some years ago, a large sal- 

 mon was found dead, and an immense eagle drowned 

 beside it, with the claws of the one stuck into the back 

 of the other, upon the banks of Mofl'at Water. A 

 few days before, a party of young men had started on 

 a Sunday night to spear salmon by the light of a blaz- 



