10 MUSEUM BULLETIN NO. 28. 



especially towards the head (usually ochres and cream tints with little 

 if any reddish admixture). Below, it is ochraceous dull cream, or white 

 with a pronounced broad black or dark brown band across lower breast 

 and abdomen. The tail is nearly white at the base and brown towards 

 the tip. Between the light and the dark phases of these birds all 

 intermediates exist and often the two Rough-legs are most difficult to tell 

 apart except by a comparison of the bills. Looking down (towards the 

 crown) the bill of the American Rough-leg is comparatively narrow 

 (Figure 4) , whereas that of the Ferruginous is much broader at the base 

 giving what might be described as a frog-mouthed effect (Figure 5). 



EAGLES. 



Eagles are represented by two species the Bald-headed and the 

 Golden. Size is sufficient to distinguish these birds from all other 

 raptores. Any Canadian bird of prey over 30 inches long from tip of 

 bill to end of tail, or over 6 feet in spread of wings, must be an eagle. 



Eagles are nowhere common enough in the prairie provinces to be of 

 economic importance. The tales current of eagles taking lambs and 

 even young children are either exaggerations or the reports of most excep- 

 tional cases. 



Adult Bald Eagles are easily recognized by their pure white heads 

 and tails, but in the juvenile plumage their even darkness is so like the 

 coloration of the Golden that they are best recognized by their leg 

 characters. The legs of the Golden are always feathered to the base 

 of the toes (similar to Figure 3) whereas those of the Bald are bare from 

 the first joint down. 



FALCONS. 



The Falcons, Long-winged or Noble Hawks, are represented by five 

 species, none of which, except the Sparrow Hawk, the smallest and least 

 harmful, is at all common and most of them are so rare as to be objects 

 of curiosity rather than of economic interest. The principal characteris- 

 tics of the Falcons are their pointed, triangular wings and long, narrow 

 tail. Their flight is a succession of quickly timed wing beats, developing 

 high speeds, and with little gliding. The larger members of the group 

 take their prey mostly by straight pursuit, securing it by superior speed 

 and strength rather than by subterfuge. They are the boldest, hardiest, 

 and most sportsmanlike of all the hawks and if they were of more than 

 rare occurrence would warrant uneasiness on the part of the poulterer 

 or the game protector. As it is they can be practically disregarded. 



The Gyrfalcon (length 20-22 inches), the most powerful of all the 

 hawks, is of Arctic distribution and comes down very rarely into civilized 



