450 



HALIAETUS ALBICILLA. THE WHITE-TAILED SEA- 

 EAGLE. P. 53. 



The cry of this bird I have described as resembling 

 the syllables kooluk, kooluk, klook, klook, which is true 

 enough ; but, on attending more particularly to it, I 

 have found it to be more correctly expressed by hlick^ 

 Mick, klick, or queekf queek, queek. It is shriller and 

 sharper than that of the Golden Eagle, which I am en- 

 abled to state in consequence of having recently had 

 an opportunity of comparing the two species in this re- 

 spect. 



When standing on a level surface, the White-tailed 

 Sea-Eagle inclines its body forwards, and gathers up 

 its large wings, allowing the secondary to project over 

 the primary quills. When roosted on the edge of a 

 rock, it stands more erect, and draws in its head, gene- 

 rally allowing its wings to hang by its sides. In mov- 

 ing to a short distance it leaps sidelong or directly, us- 

 ing its wings to assist it. If its prey be small, it holds 

 it with one foot while eating it ; if otherwise it generally 

 stands upon it. Captive birds frequently catch in one 

 foot, or in the bill, an object that may be thrown to 

 them. The aspect of this species is less imposing than 

 that of the Golden Eagle, its large yellow bill giving 

 the head a less beautiful form, and its eyes seeming 

 less brilliant than the brown ones of that bird. Yet, 

 when in good condition, and in new plumage, it is a 

 very beautiful bird. Dr Neill's eagle, mentioned at 

 p. 80, and which has now (December 1835) completed 

 its moult, is a bird that one might look at with delight 



