FALCONING. HALIAETUS. 41 



GENUS IV. HALIAETUS. SEA-EAGLE. 



Bill nearly as long as the head, very high, gradually 

 compressed toward the end, with the upper outline nearly 

 straight to the edge of the cere, the sides flattish and nearly 

 erect ; upper mandible with the edges slightly festooned, the 

 tip elongated, trigonal, decurved, acute ; lower mandible 

 scarcely a third of the height of the upper, with the angle 

 long and of moderate width, the dorsal line nearly straight, 

 the tip rounded. Mouth wide ; tongue fleshy, deeply emar- 

 ginate and papillate at the base, concave above, with the 

 sides nearly parallel, the tip rounded ; oesophagus very wide, 

 with a very large crop ; proventriculus wide ; stomach large, 

 roundish, with its muscular coat thin ; intestine very long 

 and narrow, duodenum extremely elongated, and disposed 

 into a coil of several folds ; cceca very small ; cloaca very 

 large and globular. Nostrils oblong, oblique. Eyes large, 

 with projecting superciliary ridges. Aperture of ear rather 

 large and roundish. Head large, roundish-ovate ; neck of 

 moderate length ; body robust. Feet short, very strong ; 

 tarsus very short, feathered half-way down, then scaly, with 

 anterior and posterior scutella ; toes very stout, scutellate 

 toward the end, the first and second strongest, and about 

 equal, the fourth a little longer than the second, the third 

 much longer ; claws very large, well curved, flattened on the 

 sides, concave beneath, acute, the first and second largest. 

 Plumage compact and full. Wings very long, broad, rounded, 

 the first a little shorter than the seventh, the third and 

 fourth longest ; the first five with the inner web abruptly 

 cut out. Tail of moderate length, broad, rounded, extending 

 considerably beyond the wings. 



The Sea-Eagles are birds of large size, but less bold and 

 vigorous than the Eagles properly so called. Fish forms a 

 great portion of their food. They also feed on carrion, and 

 occasionally attack living animals, sometimes even those of 

 considerable size. They sail in circles, ascending to a vast 

 height, and in habits generally differ little from the Eagles. 



^5. HALIAETUS ALBICILLA. WHITE-TAILED SEA-EAGLE. 

 Adult with the bill, feet, and irides yellow ; the plumage 



