SPECIES 5. FrfLCO FULVUS. 



RING-TAIL EAGLE. 

 [Plate LV. Fig. 1, young bird.] 



LINN. Syst. ed. 10, p. 88. Black Eagle, Jlrct. Zool. p. 195, JVo. 

 87. LATH, i, 32, JVo. 6. White-tailed JSaglc^DW. i, 1 .--L'Jligle 

 Commun, BUFF, i, 86. PL Enl. 409. BEWICK, i,p. 49. PKALE'S 

 Museum, 7Vo. 84; 7Vo. 85, young. 



THE reader is now presented with a portrait of this celebrated 

 Eagle, drawn from a fine specimen shot in the county of Mont- 

 gomery, Pennsylvania. The figure here given, though reduced 

 to one-third the size of life, is strongly characteristic of its 

 original. With respect to the habits of the species, such partic- 

 ulars only shall be selected as are well authenticated, rejecting 

 whatever seems vague, or savours too much of the marvellous. 



This noble bird, in strength, spirit and activity, ranks among 

 the first of its tribe. It is found, though sparingly dispersed, 

 over the whole temperate and arctic regions, particularly the 

 latter; breeding on high precipitous rocks; always preferring a 

 mountainous country. In its general appearance it has great 

 resemblance to the Golden Eagle, from which, however, it 

 differs in being rather less; as also in the colours and markings 

 of the tail; and, as it is said, in being less noisy. When young, 

 the colour of the body is considerably lighter, but deepens into 

 a blackish brown as it advances in age. 



The tail feathers of this bird are highly valued by the various 

 tribes of American Indians, for ornamenting their calumets, or 

 Pipes of Peace. Several of these pipes, which were brought 

 from the remote regions of Louisiana by captain Lewis, are 

 now deposited in Peale's Museum, each of which has a number 

 of the tail feathers of this bird attached to it. The Northern as 

 well as Southern Indians seem to follow the like practice, as 



