70 GOLDEN & WHITE-TAILED EAGLES. 



Food. Mammals up to the size of a hare ; also birds and 

 reptiles. 



Nidification. There is no real evidence that it has nested in 

 Great Britain. Breeds in Northern Europe and Asia. 



GOLDEN EAGLE (Aquila chrysaetus). 



Kesident 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 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. 



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. 



Materials. Sticks and heather, lined with tufts of grass, &c. 



Eggs. Two or three. White suffused with bluish, spotted, 

 blotched, and clouded with ruddy brown, and purplish grey 

 under markings. Variable. 



WHITE -TAILED on SEA EAGLE (Haliaetus alMcilla). 



Once a common resident ; now rare, and found only breeding 

 sparingly on the sea-coast in Ireland, and on some of the 

 Scottish islands. 



Observation. Distinguish from last by white tail. 



Plumage. Upper parts brown, lighter on head and neck. 

 Primaries blackish ; under parts chocolate-brown. Tail wedge- 

 shaped and white. Bill, cere, and legs yellow. Length 33 in. 

 Female similar, but larger; 36 in. Young, at first covered 

 with greyish white down; later with dark brown, mottled 

 with fulvous brown on mantle and wings. Tail dark brown. 

 Plumage of this species variable. 



Language. A loud yelp-like " queek-queek-queek." 



Habits. Much like the last, but it feeds more readily on 

 carrion. It pounces on basking fish. 



