76 OUR RESIDENT BIRDS 



Food. Small mammals, beetles, worms, grasshoppers, 

 snakes, and lizards. 



Nest. April. One brood. 



Site. On some inaccessible ledge on a mountain or 

 sea-cliff, sometimes in a forest -tree. 



Materials. Sticks and twigs, lined with wool and 

 green leaves. 



Eggs. Two to four. Bluish white, spotted, blotched, 

 and streaked with reddish brown ; under markings 

 purplish grey. Rather variable. 



GOLDEN EAGLE (Aquila chrysaetus). 



Resident only in the Highlands and Western Islands 

 of Scotland ; rarely met with in England. 



Haunts. Mountainous districts. 



Plumage. Head, back of neck, and legs fulvous 

 brown; other parts dark chocolate-brown. Primaries 

 blackish. Tail brownish black, variegated with bars 

 of grey. Bill bluish towards base, otherwise black. 

 Cere yellow, partly covered with bristly feathers. 

 Legs feathered to the toes. Length 33 in. Female 

 similar, but larger ; length 36 in. Young, brown, with 

 basal half of tail white. Nestling covered with white 

 down. 



Language. A shrill squealing cry, almost like a 

 bark. 



Habits. Flight majestic and powerful, and it is fond 

 of soaring and circling at a great height with outspread 

 wings and tail. It pounces on its prey, but does not 

 usually pursue it. 



Food. Hares, rabbits, birds of many kinds up to the 

 size of a grouse ; also lambs. 



Nest. April. One brood. 



Site. On some inaccessible ledge of a mountain ; 

 sometimes in a tree. 



