FALCONID^ — THE FALCONS. 



315 



feathers), distinctly defined against the broad, pure black, terminal zone ; tarsi dull white, 

 clouded with dilute brownish ; inside of tibite with feathers tipped with white. 



Young female (older?) (9,121, Washington, D. C, Dec, 185G; B. Cross). Similar, but 

 black more brown ; " mane " as in adult ; tarsi dull whitish brown ; tail-coverts deep 

 umber-brown ; tail as in young male, but terminal band narrower, the white occupying 

 nearly the basal two thirds. Wing, 25.70: tail, 14.75; culmen, 1.65; middle toe, 2.80; 

 hind claw, 2.20. 



Hab. Whole of North America north of Mexico ; most common in mountainous re- 



gions. 



LIST OF SPECIMENS EXAMINED. 



National Museum, 8 ; Philadelphia Academy, 2 ; Boston Society, 2 ; Cambridge Muse- 

 um, 2 ; Coll. R. Ridgway, 2. Total, 16. 



A young male from Massachusetts (No. 39, Lexington ; Dr. S. Kneeland), 

 in the collection of the Boston Society of Natural History, has the tail plain 

 black, the extreme base and tip white. 



Though the Golden Eagles of North America can be distinguished by the 

 characters given in the diagnosis on p. 312 from those of Europe, the dif- 

 ferences are appreciable only on direct comparison. The American bird is 

 darker in all its shades of color, the difference being most marked in the 

 young plumage, which in var. chrysaetus has the tarsal features nearly white, 

 and in var. canadensis light brown, the brown of other portions being also 

 considerably darker. The American bird appears to be rather the larger. 



Habits. The Eing -tailed or Golden Eagle of North America is found 

 throuo-hout the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from New 

 Mexico to the higher Arctic regions. 



In its geographical distribution, the Golden Eagle of North America ap- 

 pears to be chietly confined to the mountainous regions, and the more north- 

 ern portions, but to be nowhere abundant. Sir John Eichardson saw but 

 few individuals in the Arctic regions, nor does he appear ever to have met 

 with its nest. Individual birds on the Atlantic coast have been occasionally 

 obtained, — once as far south as Philadelphia, twice at Washington, — but 

 very rarely. Several specimens appear to have been obtained among the 

 mountains of New Mexico by Dr. Henry's party. 



Although not mentioned by either Dr. Heermann or Dr. Gambel in their 

 lists of the birds of California, it was found in Oregon by Dr. Townsend, and 

 is said by Dr. Cooper to be quite common in almost all parts of California 

 during the colder months. It is, however, much less numerous than the 

 White-headed Eagle. It is very much more a mountain bird, and its de- 

 scent into the plains or to the sea-coast is said to be quite rare. Dr. Adol- 



