257 
ously rounded, but is actually wedge-shaped, recalling the tails 
of the Lammergeyer, or of the Australian Aquila Audax, which 
eg however, is smaller, and has the tarsi feathered to the 
eet. 
I have sometimes fancied, that these birds might belong to 
the Huropean species 7. Adbicilia. This latter species, is found 
not only throughout Hnrope, extending to Sicily and Corfu to 
the South, and Iceland and Greenland to the North, but almost 
throughout Siberia, at Lake Baikal, in the upper and middle 
Amoor where Radde procured it, and in the lower Amoor, and 
generally the east coast of northern Asia, where H. L. v. 
Schrenk obtained it, but only, if I remember rightly, in the 
winter months. Pelagicus, on the other hand, has only as yet, 
I believe, been obtained in Japan, and the extreme east of 
Siberia; Middendorf procured it in Stanawoi, and Pallas origi- 
nally described it, I believe, from Kamschatska, so that, of the 
two, probabilities would be in favour of our birds being the 
young of A/bicilla. With the plumage of these, as described by 
Kuropean writers, they agree well enough, but then the bills 
are so much higher, in proportion to their length, than those of 
the European species, as figured by Gray, and Macgillivray,* 
that I cannot help doubting their belonging to it, 
Since the above was written, I have learnt from Mr. Brooks, 
that he has obtained a specimen, precisely similar to one of 
mine. Others will doubtless occur, and I therefore, to aid other 
observers, in determining the species to which any specimens 
that they may obtain, belong, append full descriptions, and 
measurements, of H. A/bicilla, taken from Macgillivray. 
“Marr. The cere and bill are pale yellow, the iris bright 
yellow; the tarsi and toes gamboge, the claws black, with a 
tinge of greyish blue. The plumage of the head, neck, fore- 
part of the back and breast, with the upper wing coverts 
greyish yellow, the feathers all greyish brown at the base; of 
the other parts greyish brown, edged with yellowish grey, the 
scapulars and feathers of the rump glossed with purple, those 
of the abdomen, tibiz, and sub-caudal region inclining to 
chocolate brown ; the quills and alular feathers brownish black, 
with a tinge of grey, the inner secondaries inclining to greyish 
brown; the shafts of all, white towards the base; the lower 
surface of the quills, and the large coverts tinged with greyish 
blue. The upper tail coverts and the tail are white (generally 
freckled with dusky grey at the base). The down on the breast 
is pale grey, that on the sides darker. 
* But then while figuring along, comparatively low bill, Macgillivray tells 
us, that “ the bill is darger and higher, than in any species known, excepting 
Haliaetus Washingtom !” 
