42 FALCONING. PANDION. 



of the head, neck, and part of the back and breast, grteyish- 

 yellow, or pale brown tinged with grey ; of the hind part of 

 the back darker ; the abdomen and legs chocolate-brown ; the 

 quills brownish-black, the tail white. Individuals of a pale 

 greyish-purple, in parts approaching to ash-grey, are seen, 

 especially in captivity. Young with the bill brownish-black, 

 the irides brown, the feet yellow ; the plumage pale brown, 

 with elongated dark brown spots, the bases of all the feathers 

 brownish-white ; the tail dark brown, irregularly variegated 

 with white. At the first moult the light brown becomes 

 darker, and the proportion of white is somewhat diminished, 

 unless on the tail, where it is on the contrary increased. At 

 each successive moult, the bill assumes a lighter tint, passing 

 through shades of brown, until it ultimately becomes pale 

 yellow ; the iris undergoes a similar change ; the proportion 

 of white at the base of the feathers diminishes, the dark part 

 enlarges in extent, but becomes paler ; the tail-feathers, at 

 first freckled with white, or brownish- white, become patched, 

 and finally, at the age of six or seven years, pure white. 



Male, 36, 72, 24, 3 T \, 4, 3, 1 T 8 2 . Female, 40, 80. 



Common in the Hebrides, on the Northern and Western 

 coasts of the Highlands. Rare in Shetland and Orkney, oc- 

 curs in Galloway. Not uncommon in some parts of Ireland. 

 Breeds on cliffs on the sea-shore, as well as in the interior, 

 forming a very bulky nest of sticks, twigs, heath, often dry 

 sea-weeds, as well as tufts of grass, wool, and other materials. 

 The eggs, two in number, are broadly ovate, pure white, or 

 yellowish- white, generally with some pale red dots or spots 

 chiefly at the larger end. Its food consists of carrion, dead 

 fish, small quadrupeds, young sea-birds, grouse, and other 

 animals. Although less destructive to living animals than 

 the Golden Eagle, it sometimes carries off young lambs. 



Cinereous Eagle. Grey Eagle. Sea Eagle. Erne. Osprey. 



Vultur Albicilla, Linn* Syst. Nat. i. 123. Falco Albicilla, 

 Temm. Man. d'Ornith. i. 49. Haliaetus Albicilla, White- 

 tailed Sea-Eagle. MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, iii. 221. 



GENUS V. PANDION. OSPREY. 



Bill shorter than the head, stout, high, gradually com- 

 pressed ; upper mandible with the dorsal line a little declinate 

 and slightly convex, the sides rapidly sloping and convex, 

 the edges festooned, the tip elongated, decurved, trigonal, 

 very acute ; lower mandible with the angle short and rather 



