92 AQUILA CHRYSAETUS. 



tion of the outer web of the second tail-feather near 

 the base mottled with reddish- white. Tail-coverts pale 

 brown, tinged with grey and reddish. Inside of the 

 legs and lower tail-coverts brownish-red, approaching 

 to chestnnt-brown ; tarsal feathers paler, and becoming 

 mixed with grey below. The basis of all the feathers 

 white, which becomes apparent on the hind neck when 

 the plumage is a little raised; while of the tail-feathers 

 the basal down only is white. 



Length 3 feet, extent of wings 7 feet ; bill 2| inches, 

 1^ deep before the cere ; tarsus 3| ; middle toe and claw 

 4^, hind claw 2J ; length of nostrils f . 



Variations. — In adult biixls there are considerable 

 variations in size, the males ranging in length from two 

 feet six inches to three feet ; the females from two 

 feet ten inches to three feet six inches. The smallest 

 male which I have measured was five feet six inches 

 between the tips of the wings, and the largest female 

 seven feet ; but Mr Selby says it often measm-es " up- 

 wards of eight feet across, when the wings are extend- 

 ed," and it is stated that one was shot at Warkworth, 

 in 1735, which measured eleven feet three inches across. 

 In colour some variations occur, the younger birds be- 

 ing generally darker, with the base of the tail paler. 



The changes which the plumage undergoes as it be- 

 comes old and fades are not remarkable. 



Habits. — -In the observations made with respect to 

 the habits of eagles in this country, the two species 

 have not been always distinguished. Indeed, it is 

 not more than fifteen years since it was generally be^ 



