PALCONIB^— DITJKNAIi RAPTORES. 483 



Aquila chrysaetos (Linn.) 



GOLDEN EAGLE. 



Popular synonyms. Mountain Eagle; Eing-tailed Eagle; Black Eagle. 

 Falco canadensis Linn. S. N. ed. 10. i, 1758. 88. 

 Aquila canadensis WrLs. Am. Orn. i. 1808. pi. 55. flg. 1.— Cass, in Balrd's B.N. Am.lSSS, 



41.— BAiKD.Cat. \. Am. B. 1859, No. 39. 

 Aquila chrysaetus rar. canadensis Ridgw. 1873.— B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. iii. 1874, 214. 

 Aquila chrysaetus canadensis Eedgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 449. 

 Falco chryscetos Linn. S. N. ed. 10, i. 1758. 88. 



Aquila chrysaetus DuMONT. Diet. Sei. Nat. i. 1816, 339.— AuD. B. Am. i, 1840, 50, pi. 12; 

 Synop. 1839.9.— CouES, Key, 1872, 219 ; Cheek List, 1874. No. 291; 2d ed. 1882,No. 429; B, 

 N. W.1874. 3€8. 

 Falco fulvus "Lurs." WrLs. Am. Orn. vii, 1813, pi, 55, flg. L 

 Aquila fulra NuTT, Man. 1,1832,62. 



Hab. Whole of North America, south to elevated regions of Mexico; breeding within 

 the United States chiefly in mountainous districts. 



Sp. Chab. ^duZ(ma!e (No. 24,167, Fort Crook, California, December 25: D.F.Park- 

 inson). General plumage sooty blackish, this deepest on the head, throat, lower surface 

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

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

 tarsi, and inside of tibiie, considerably paler, inclining to light umber. Lanceolate 

 feathers or occiput and hind neck with exposed portions light fulvous, the shafts black; 

 dusky beneath the surface. Tail black, somewhat paler on basal half and with about 

 three irregular, obsolete 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 (No. 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 tibijE, and lower tail-coverts 

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

 lanceolate, pale, tawny feathers, which in the male cover only the occiput and neck, in 

 the female extend forward over the top of the head, leaving the forehead only blackish. 

 Upper parts and tail as in the male. Fourth auill 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. I.a5; outer. 1.10. 



Young male (No. 49.684. Camp Grant, near Tucson. Arizona, July 10,1867: Dr. E. Palmer). 

 Continuous deep sepia-black, with the purplish lustre; breasi and scapulars with large 

 concealed spots of pure white; lanceolate feathers of the "mane" dull brown, not con- 

 spicuously different from the throat; under surface of primaries showing much white 

 basally, 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 feathers), distinctly defined ag.ainst the broad, pure black, terminal zone; tarsi dull 

 white, clouded with dilute brownish; feathers on inside of tibi.-E tipped with white, 



Toung female— older? (No. 9.134, Washington, D. C. December.1856: B. Cross). Simi- 

 lar, but black more brown; "mane" as in adult; tarsi dull whitish brown; tail-ooverts 

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

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

 hind claw.2.20. 



