FALCONID^. 29 



161. Spotted Eagle. Aqtiila na;v la {J. F. Gmelin). Rare straggler. C.& E.Europe, 



General colour dark reddish brown. Tail nearly unit'oriTi brown n. Africa. 

 above ; legs feathered in front to the toes. 



Towuf. Wing-coverts and scapulars with large oval tips of white or 

 brownish white. Length 26 inches. 



162. Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysaetus (Linnseus). Resident in 

 tlie Highlands and in Ireland, but nearly destroyed in the latter country 

 by poison ; seldom visits England. 



Leys featliered in fro)it to the toes, the last joints of which only are 

 covered by three large scales {Aquila'). General colour dark brown ; nape 

 and hind neck light brown ; thighs uniform dark brown ; tail with one 

 greyish bar on under surface. 



Youiif/. Basal half of tail white ; base of body-feathers white. 



Length 32-36 inches. 



163. White-tailed or Sea-Eagle. Ifaliaetus alhicilla (Linnaeus). 

 Still resident in INT. of Scotland and L'eland, on rocky sea-coasts, but 

 nearly exterminated. Immature migrants from the Continent are not 

 infrequent in England, and are often recorded as ' Golden ' Eagles. 



Lower half of leg bare of feathers ; that and the toes covered in front 

 w ith large scales. 



Adult. Bill and iris light yellow ; head and neck much lighter than 

 back ; tail white. 



Young. Bill blackish ; iris bro\\n ; tail whitish, much mottled with 

 greyish brown. 



Length 28-34 inches. 



1(54. Goshawk, vlsttir jxdnmharius (Linnaeus). Sylvan. Casual viisitor. Europe, 



Above ashy brown ; thin ivhite line above ear-coverts ; below white, ^gjg^ ' 

 thickly harred with ashy brown ; tail ashy brown, with four broad bars 

 of darker brovA n ; iris yellow. 



Young. Above brown ; below and under wing-coverts light buff, 

 streal-ed with blackish brown ; tail brown, with live bands of darker 

 bi"o\Mi ; iris pearly white. 



Length : male 19, female 23-24 inches. 



(The American Goshawk, Astur atricapillus, has occurred twice, but 

 w as probably imported ; it resembles the above, but has the under])arts 

 closely and irregularly /r(?('Z;Zt'f? or marbled with ashy brown, not barred.) 



165. Spaerow-Haavk. Accijjiter nisus (Linnaeus). Sylvan. Resident. 



Toes rather slender ; the middle toe very much longer than the 

 others. 



Adult male. Above slate-blue ; nape mottled with white ; cheeks and 

 ear-coverts bright rufous ; bslow white, barred with bright rufous ; iris 

 orange. Length 12 inches.. 



Female. When very old rarely assumes the same plumage, but very 

 few survive in this country to attain it ; the adult females usually ha\ e 

 the breast barred with greyish brown, with a reddish patch of downy 

 feathers on tlie flanks. Much larger than males. Length 15 inches. 



