140 
must be the young of A. Chrysetus. They were observed close 
under the snow line.” A supposed A. Chrysetus, however, sent 
me by Mr. Thompson proved to be a huge female Imperialis. 
Dr. Stoliczka tells us that this species “is often seen about 
Kotegurh and further east,” but although I have at Kotegurh 
a regular establishment for shooting and preserving birds,—from 
whom I have received more than one thousand specimens,—who 
have special injunctions to shoot alllarge Kaglesand who havesent 
me several A. Imperialis, I have as yet received no example of 
this species; and that although I have tried to stimulate my men 
by promises of large rewards should they secure a specimen, they 
say that there is no species, but the one sent, A. Imperialis. 
Of the breeding of the Golden Eagle in Europe, Mr. Yarrell 
says, “The Golden Eagle makes a flattened platform nest, or 
rather, a collection of strong sticks, on high and inaccessible 
rocks, occupying a space of several square feet. The female 
bird which is considerably larger than the male, lays two and 
sometimes three eggs, towards the end of the month of March 
or the beginning of April. If the eggs are removed, it is said 
that the bird does not lay any more that season. The egg is 
about three inches long, by two inches and five lines broad, of a 
dirty white colour, slightly mottled nearly all over with pale 
reddish brown. Incubation with the Golden Eagle, according 
to Mr. Mudie, lasts thirty days, and the young Eaglets are at 
first covered with greyish white down.” 
Mr. Hewitson, quoting chiefly from Mr. Wolley, tells us, that 
the Golden Eagle begins to breed in March or early in April, 
and will return to the same eyrie for many successive years. 
It makes a nest of great size composed of sticks, (or in Shet- 
land, where it would be difficult to find sticks, of long rope-like 
pieces of seaweed) lined with roots, dry grass, heather, moss, 
fern or other vegetable, not animal, materials. The nests, though 
usually on rocky ledges of precipices, are by no means always 
in inaccessible places, but may often be climbed to, from above 
or below without ropes and with little difficulty. The usual 
number of eggs is two, but three are sometimes found in the 
same nest; they are laid at intervals of several days. The hen 
sits very close after she begins to lay, so that the first egg is 
ready to hatch before the second. 
The eggs are broad, very perfect ovals; slightly compressed 
towards one end; they vary very much in colour, some being 
as above described by Mr. Yarrell; some having reddish white 
grounds, richly blotched and spotted, or thickly mottled, streak- 
ed, and clouded with varying shades of red, and reddish brown ; 
a few are pure white, (then hardly distinguishable from the sea 
