272 ON EAGLES. 



scarce, it follows the example of the mountaineer, and 

 generally builds in the cliffs. 



The colour of the golden-eagle differs very much ; some 

 are so dark as almost to justify the name of " the black 

 eagle," which they are often called in the Highlands ; in 

 others, the golden tint is very bright ; and many are of an 

 even muddy-brown. I do not think that the age of the 

 bird has anything to do with this, as I have seen young 

 and old equally variable. The sure mark of a young one 

 is the degree of white on the tail : the first year the upper 

 half is pure, which gradually becomes less so .by streaks of 

 brown ; about the third or fourth year no white is to 

 be seen, 



THE SEA-EAGLE 



The sea-eagle is rather larger than the golden, and of a 

 lighter brown. The bill, which is longer and broader, but 

 not so hooked as the other, is of a dull yellowish white. 

 The whole of the tail-feathers of the young ones are brown, 

 when they gradually change to white, which is complete 

 about the fourth year the very reverse of the golden- 

 eagle. The tail is also shorter, and the legs are not 

 feathered to the toes, like the other ; but quite enough to 

 show that the bird was not intended to subsist by fishing, 

 like the osprey, whose legs are bare to the thighs, which 

 have only a thin covering of short feathers. 



As this bird does not complete its mature plumage till 

 the fourth season, there was much confusion regarding it 



