Circus. BIRDS. ACCIPITRES. 5^3 



tail is white. In this state, it is the Chrysaetos caiida annulo albo cincta of 

 TVill., 28 ; Falco fulvus of Lin. Syst. Nat. i. 1 25 ; or the lluigtail Eagle, or Black 

 Eagle of Pen. Brit. ZooL i. 105. In the opinion of some, the ringtail is consi- 

 dered as a distinct species ; but the facts stated by Temminck and Selby de- 

 monstrate its connection with the Golden Eagle — See Wern. Mem. voL iv. 

 428 ond 434 Preys on sheep and deer. 



19. A. alhicilla. The Erne. — Tarsi half feathered, and 



plated. Tail not longer than the wings. 



Halijetua, Will. Orn. 20. Sihh. Scot. 14 Falco ossifragus, Lirm. Syst. L 



124. — Cinereous Eagle, Penn. Brit. Zool. L 170. — Falco albicilla, Temm. 



Orn. i. 49 PF, Mor Eryr, Eryr CynfFonwyn ; G, lolair. — Near the 



sea-coast, not rare ; whence termed Sea Eagle. 



Inferior in size to the preceding. Bill whitish ; irides light-brown ; cere 

 and feet yellowish-white. Plumage dusky-brown, tinged with cinereous. 

 Tail whoUy wliite. Breeds in rocks. Eggs two ; of a Avhite colour, with a 

 few reddish spots. In the young, the plumage is deep-brown, with the mar- 

 gins of the feathers lighter coloured. Bill and iris black. Tail with the ba- 

 sal half whitish-grey, witli inregular brown spots on the outer webs ; the ex- 

 tremity brown. In this last state it is the Sea-Eagle of Pennant, Brit. ZooL i. 

 167-; the Halisetus and Pygargus of AVilloughby ; and the Vultur albicilla 

 and F. ossifragus of Linnaeus, all which belong to this species, and seem to be in 

 intermediate stages of plumage. Feeds on fish, aquatic bii'ds, and laiad anunaLs. 



The following device for catching the eagle is said, in the Statist. Account, 

 voL xxi. p. 221., to be successfully practised in Sutherland. The fox, it is 

 added, is readily secured by the same snare. " A miniature house, at least the 

 wall part of it, is built on ground frequented by the eagle, and an opening 

 left at the foot of the wall sufficient for the egress of the birti To the out- 

 side of this opening, a bit of strong skauiy (cord) is fixed, with a noose formed 

 on one end, and the other end returning through the noose. After aU this 

 operation is finished, a piece of can-ion is thrown into the house, which the 

 eagle finds out and perches upon. It eats voraciously ; and, when it is fully 

 satiated, it never thinks of taking its flight immediately upwards, unless dis- 

 turbed, provided it can find an easier way to get out of the house ; for it ap- 

 pears that it is not easy for it to begin its flight but in an oblique direction ; 

 consequently, it walks deliberately out at the opening left for it, and the 

 ekainy behig fitly contrived and placed for the purpose, catches hold oJ^ and 

 fairly strangles iL" 



Gen. XII. CIRCUS. He n-ii a rrieu— One-third of the 

 tail extending beyond the wings. 



20, C. ci/anem.— 'The third and fourth quill-feathers of equal 

 length. 



Pygargus, Wm. 40.— Subbuteo, Siib. Scot 15 Hen-harrier, Penn. Brit. 



Zool. L 193 — Mont. Lin, Trans, ix. 182. Orn. Diet. Suppt— Falco cy- 



aneus. Tern. Orn. i. 72 — W, Barcud glas, Bodtinwyn; G, Ant-eun 



fiorm. Breid air toin — Not uncommon. 



Length 18, breadth 40 inches; weight 13 ounces; biU dark blue; cere and 



legs yeUow ; plumage grey ; under and upper tail-covers, beUy, and below the 



wings, white. Behmd the nostiils, and above the eyes, numerous black hairs. 



The 1st quill, equal in length to the 7th; 2d and 5th nearly equal; 3d and 



4th longest, and nearly equal. Inner webs of the first four, and outer webs 



of the 3d, 4th, and 5th abbreviated from the middle ; 2d, 3d, 4th, 5th, black ; 



1st and Cth, greyish ; rest grey. Tail, with the two middle feathers unilbrm ; 



the others ligliter coloured, aiid barred with dusky on their inner webs. The 



ear-feathers, fonning a lai^ concha, like a ruff on the sides of the neck, dis- 



