314 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Aquila chrysaetus, var. canadensis (Linn.). 



GOLDEN EAGLE ; RING-TAILED EAGLE. 



Aquila chrysaetus (not of Linn !), Rich. & Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 12. — Jard. (Wils.) Am. 

 Orn. II, 1832, 304. — Bonap. List, 1838, 2. — AuD. Synop. 1839, 9. — DeKay, Zobl. 

 N. Y. II, 4, pL vi, f. 14 (/My.). —Cass. B. CaL & Tex. 109. — Strickl. Orn. Syn. I, 

 55 (in part). — Brewer, Oology, 1857, 45. — Coues, Key, 1872, 219. Falco chrysae- 

 tus, (Linn.) Max. Cab. J. 1858, VI, 9. — Blas. Ber. XVI, Vers. Deutsch. Orn. 1862, 

 83 ("absolutely identical with European ") . Falco canadensis, Linn. S.N. (ed. 10), 

 1766, 88. Aqictla canadensis, Wils. Am. Orn. 1808, pi. Iv, f. 1. — Heerm. P. R. R. 

 Rept. II, 1855, 30. — Cass. Birds N. Am. 1858, 41. — Coues, P. A. N. S. 1866, 13. 

 — Gray, Hand List, I, 40. Falco nigcr, Gmel. S. N. 359. Aquila nobilis, Pall. 

 Zoog. Ros. As. 1811. Aquila fulva (not of LiNN !), Nutt. Man. Orn. 1833, 62. — 

 Peab. B. Mass. 1841, 71. 



Sp. Char. Adult male (24,167, Fort Crook, North California, Dec. 25; D. F. Parkin- 

 son). General plumage fuligmous-black, this deepest on the head, throat, lower surface 

 in general, under surface of the wings, back, scapulars, shoulders, secondaries, primaries, 

 and rump ; middle and secondary wing-coverts, upper and under tail-coverts, tarsi and 

 inside of tibial, considerably paler, inclining to light umber. Lanceolate feathers of occi- 

 put and nape with the exposed portions light fulvous, the shafts black ; dusky beneath the 

 surface. Tail black, somewhat paler on basal half, and with about three irregular, obso- 

 lete zigzag bands of pale brown (on two middle feathers ashy) ; no concealed white on 

 breast. Fifth quill longest; third and fourth intermediate between fifth and sixth; second 

 considerably shorter than sixth ; first intermediate between eighth and ninth. Length, 

 31.60; extent, 78.30. Wing, 24.50; tail, 13.40; culmen, 1.60; from base of cere, 2.15; 

 tarsus, 3.85; middle toe, 2.40; hind claw (chord) 1.90. 



Adult female (12,006, Washington, D. C, March 7, 1869 ; C. Drexler). Almost exactly 

 like the male. Black covering forehead, ear-coverts, cheeks, chin, throat, foreneck, and 

 under parts generally (except the tarsi, inside and front of tibiiB, and lower tail-coverts, 

 which are light fulvous, the tarsi palest), more tawny than in the male. The lanceolate, 

 pale, tawny feathers, which in the male cover only the occiput and neck, in the female ex- 

 tend forward over the top of the head, leaving the forehead only blackish. Upper parts 

 and tail as in the male. Fourth quill longest ; third slightly shorter than fifth ; second 

 intermediate between sixth and seventh; first intermediate between eighth and ninth. 

 Wing, 26.00; tail, 14.25; culmen, 1.70; tarsus, 3.80; middle toe, 2.70; hind claw, 2.15; 

 inner toe, 1.90; outer, 2.00; inner claw, 1.80; middle, 1.35; outer, 1.10. 



Young male (49,684, Camp Grant, near Tucson, Arizona, July 10, 1867 ; Dr. E. Palmer). 

 Continuous deep sepia-black, with a purplish lustre; breast and scapulars with large con- 

 cealed spots of pure white; lanceolate feathers of the "mane" dull brown, not conspicu- 

 ously different from the throat ; under surface of primaries showing much white basally, 

 this most extended on inner feathers. Upper and under tail-coverts more brownish than 

 the rump, the basal portion white. Basal half or more of tail white (more ashy on outer 



m.elanaetus, Briss. Orn. I, 434. Falco melanaetus, Linn. S. N. 124. Aquila regia, Less. Tr. 

 Orn. Falco fidvus, Linn. S. N. 1760, 125 (young). 



List of Specimens examined. — Nat. Mus., 4 ; Philad. Acad., 14 ; Bost. Soc, 2 ; Mus. Cam- 

 bridge, 1 ; Mus. J. C. Sharp, Jr., 1. Total, 22. 



Measurements. — ^. Wing, 23.80-24.30; tail, 14.00-14.50; culmen, 1.68-1.70; tarsus, 

 3.40; middle toe, 2.40-2.45. Specimens, 2. ?. Wing, 25.00-25.50; tail, 14.00-14.50; 

 culmen, 1.80-1.85 ; tarsus, 3.80-4.10; middle toe, 2.85-3.10. Specimens, 3. 



