170 BIRDS OF NORTH CAROLINA 



The Rough-legged Hawk was recorded by Cairns as occasionally seen in winter 

 and spring in Buncombe County. Besides this, our only record is from Blowing 

 Rock, Watauga County, near which place one was seen September 10, 1908, at 

 close range with an opera-glass by Z. P. Metcalf. He states that this individual 

 was of very dark plumage. 



FIG. 129. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK. 



Genus Aquila (Briss.) 

 154. Aquila chrysaetos (Linn.). GOLDEN EAGLE. 



Description. Glossy dark brown, head and neck paler tawny brown. Length about three 

 feet, spread of wings nearly seven feet; weight seven or eight pounds. Easily distinguished when 

 at close range from the immature Bald Eagle by the fact that feathers grow on the ankles and 

 feet entirely down to the toes. Its bill is also shorter. L., 30.00 to 35.00; W., 23.00 to 24.75. 



Range. Northern portions of Europe, Asia, and America, chiefly in mountainous regions. 



Range in North Carolina. Mountainous regions of the State, at all seasons; rare in the eastern 

 section. 



The Golden Eagle, which is perhaps our finest bird of prey, has been considered 

 until recently as confined in this State largely to the mountains, in which region 

 Cairns recorded it as quite common for so large a bird. The State Museum received 

 specimens from Cherokee and Swain counties in 1904 and 1911. 



As tending to show that the Golden Eagle is not as exclusively a mountain bird 

 in this State as had been supposed, the following notes of its occurrence in the east 

 are presented: On December 12, 1914, the State Museum received one in the flesh 

 from Captain Haywood Clark of Wilmington. Inquiry elicited the fact that the 

 specimen had been killed a day or two before by Mr. R. A. Cherry, of Speed, N. C., 

 on the lands of the Roanoke and Tar River Gun Club, in Bertie County. Mr. 

 Cherry had just killed a Wild Turkey from a blind, and had remained in the blind 

 in the hope that others might be induced to come within shot. Suddenly this 

 eagle swooped down on the dead Turkey and attempted to carry it off, when it was 

 promptly killed by Mr. Cherry. 



