136 WOODLAND, MOOR, AND STREAM 



dangerously at times, and it will never be safe for a 

 stranger to get very near him. Chained to a stand 

 he may be, but if the chain is as long as it ought to 

 be, it will give him the opportunity of showing some 

 of his capabilities. 



The sea eagle has also been described by the 

 above writers. With this bird I am better acquainted. 

 He has sometimes visited the rabbit links near the 

 sea-shore close to my home, and lost his life by so 

 doing, for no device was left untried by the warrener 

 in order to compass the grand bird's death. His fee 

 for that business was a guinea. The sea eagle is a 

 trifle larger than the golden eagle, and not so neat in 

 his build ; in fact there is something of the look of the 

 vulture about him. He wanders further afield ; it is 

 when his plumage is immature, and the tail brown 

 instead of white, as is the case when the plumage is 

 perfect, that he is confused with his nobler relative. 

 When seen side by side the difference is great. The 

 golden eagle has a compact muscular form and close 

 plumage, a hawk-like bill, his legs are covered as 

 far as the toes with feathers, and the toes, with the 

 exception of a few large scales next the claws, are 

 covered with small scales. The sea eagle is more 

 lumpish in form, and his plumage is looser ; his bill is 

 long, and decidedly vulture-like in shape, but powerful. 



