284 NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



eagle of Australia. This latter iliffcTs from all tlic ..tlit-r members of the genus in 

 having the long tail strongly graduated, the outer feathers being five or six inehes 

 shorter tli;in the middle ones. 



Severtzoff, in his "Fauna of Turkestan," says of the king-e.igle, A. heliaca, 

 "During summer it is found in all j.arts of Turkestan, but breeds only in the salt 

 plains near .Torteek. During the breeding-season it is only found near its breeding- 

 haunts, but frequently wanders and ehangcs its residence during the winter. Like 

 other eagles, it breeds only every alternate year. So soon as the young are full- 

 grown they eoinmencc to change; but the jilumnge changes very slowly. During the 

 winter the moult is arrested, and recommences in the spring of the following year; 

 and they never breed whilst this moult is jirogressing." 



Among the sea-eagles, the North American bald-eagle, IJalia'HKs Icucocepludus, is 

 a familiar example, and too well known to need description. Of aliout the same size 

 as the golden-eagle, it differs much from it in habits, haunting the shores of lakes and 

 rivers, but especially the sea-shore, living maiidy on fish,, which it sometimes catches 

 for itself, sometimes robs the osprey of, and jirobably most often finds cast up dead 

 on the shore. The nest is most fre(|nently ])laced on a high tree, but in sections 

 where suitable trees are not to be found, it ])laces its nest on rocky cliffs or lu-ecijiitous 

 banks. The eggs, which are laid very early in the season, are never (nonnally) less 

 than two, which is the regular number, though sometimes three or four are laid. 

 They :ire nearly spherical, dull white, unspotted, and average about three inches by 

 two and three-quarters. 



The finest bird of the genus is undoubtedly the northern sea-eagle, JTaliaitds 

 peluf/icKS, of northeastern Asia. It is readily recognized by its large size, with 

 extremely large bill, cuncate or graduated tail (of fourteen feathei-s), and white 

 thighs, shoulders, rump, and tail, the other parts being brown. The African sea- 

 eatjle, J/, vocifcr, is remarkable for a coloring inuisual in this group. The head, neck, 

 breast, and tail are pure white, the remainder of the under parts, including the 

 thighs, sides of body, and under wing-coverts, deep chestnut ; while the upper parts 

 are brown or black. It is a comjiaratively small bird, being little more than half the 

 size of the bald-engle, and closely apjiroaching in size the connnon red-tailed hawk, 

 Huteo borealis. This is the smallest eagle of the genus uidess we excejit the nearly 

 related // voci/eroides of Madagascar, which is of the same size and with somewhat 

 similar colors. Like the other members of the genus, these birds feed largely on fish, 

 and are seldom found at any great distance from water. 



Closely allied to JfuliaSlus, if indeed it is not really congeneric, is the peculiar 

 fishing-eagle, Polioa'itus ichthijaetus, of India and the East Indies generally, an eagle 

 with almost the exact habits of the osprey {Puiidion), subsisting entirely on fish, and 

 with its external anatomy much modified to suit its requirements, its talons being 

 much curved, very sharp, and rounded almost precisely as in that species. Two 

 species are known. 



Here may be mentioned a small group of two or three species very closely allied 

 on the one hand to Aqiiila, from which, however, they are distinguished by their 

 longer legs, and on the other to the hawk-eagles, SpizaUus and allies. The most 

 familiar member of the grou]" in Europe is Honelli's eagle, yisaelus fasciatiis, a 

 common bird of the MeditiTranean region, and extending eastward to India. 



Under the name of hawk-eagles are grouj)ed a dozen or n)ore raptors of medium 

 or large size, and often of striking plumage, belonging to several genera, mainly 



