40 FALCONING. AQUILA. 



acute. Plumage compact, full. Wings very long, broad, 

 rounded, the first and eighth quills about equal, the fourth 

 longest ; the first six abruptly cut out on the inner web, 

 and narrowed on the outer. Tail of moderate length, or 

 rather long, broad, rounded, and extending considerably 

 beyond the wings. 



The Eagles are powerful and vigorous birds, rather heavy 

 and somewhat slow, like the Buzzards, to which they are 

 nearly allied. They sail in circles, ascend to a vast height, 

 but when searching for food fly low over the ground. They 

 prefer mountainous regions, and are generally distributed. 



4. AQUILA CHRYSAETUS. GOLDEN EAGLE. 



Tail slightly rounded, longer than the wings ; the general 

 colour of the plumage brown ; the feathers of the head, neck, 

 tarsus, and inner part of the tibia, light yellowish-brown ; the 

 tail brownish-black, more or less variegated with grey. Young 

 dark brown, with the bases of all the feathers whitish ; the 

 basal half of the quills and larger wing-coverts, and three- 

 fourths of the tail, white ; inner tibial and tarsal feathers 

 white. As the bird advances in age, the white of the basal 

 portion of the feathers diminishes, until the quills and tail 

 ultimately become dark brown, irregularly banded and mottled 

 with grey. 



Male, 33, 72, 24, 2 T 8 5 , 4, 2 T 5 5 , 1^, Female, 37, 87. 



Not uncommon in many parts of the Highlands and He- 

 brides ; rare in Shetland and Orkney ; does not breed south of 

 the Clyde and Tay, but is occasionally seen in various parts 

 of England. Resident also in Ireland. Nestles on rocks, 

 forming a large nest of sticks, heath, seaweeds, wool, and 

 other substances, and lays two eggs, sometimes one, very 

 rarely three, broadly ovate, 3 inches long, 2^ in breadth, white, 

 clouded and spotted with light brown, or white with a few 

 reddish dots. The food of this species consists of the flesh 

 of hares, rabbits, lambs, fawns, moles, grouse, ptarmigans, 

 partridges, curlews, plovers, and other species ; besides, occa- 

 sionally, carrion of various kinds. 



Black Eagle. Brown Eagle. Ring- tailed Eagle. 



Falco Chrysaetos and F. fulvus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 125, 

 Adult and Young. Falco fulvus, Temm. Man. d'Oniith, i. 38. 

 Aquila Chrysaetus, Golden Eagle, MacGillivray, Brit. 

 Birds, iii. 204. 



