BRITISH BIRDS. 121 



168. Haliaetus albieilla (Linn.). WHITE-TAILED 

 EAGLE. 



Hab. Palaearctic region ; also south of Greenland. 



Male : head and neck greyish-white ; tail pure white, 

 slightly graduated ; whole remainder of plumage dark 

 brown, becoming slate-black on wing-quiils ; bill yellowish 

 with a darker tip ; cere, irides and feet yellow ; claws 

 blackish. Length 28*00 to 29*00. Female : length about 

 3 3 'oo, otherwise similar. Young : head and tail dark 

 brown like rest of plumage ; bill dusky ; iris hazel. Even 

 after white tail is acquired head remains light greyish- 

 brown, the greyish-white head probably only being 

 obtained by very old birds. 



The present breeding range of this eagle is practically 

 the same as that of last species. It is, however, the more 

 common of the two as a visitor to England, immature 

 examples occurring with some regularity on the east side 

 and being (from their dark colour) recorded with equal 

 regularity in the newspapers as " Golden Eagles." Nesting 

 habits are much like those of A. chrysaetus; eggs are 

 dull white, usually unmarked ; size 2*85 by 2*25. 



GENUS XCI. ASTUR, Lacepede (1801). 

 Bill rather short, upper mandible decurved from base, 

 its cutting edges showing a semi-obsolete tooth. Wings 

 somewhat short. Tarsus moderate, rather stout, broadly 

 scaled ; claws long, much curved. 



169. Astur palumbarius (Linn.). GOS-HAWK. 



Hab. Palaearctic region. In winter partially migratory. 



Until within a hundred years ago this fine hawk bred 

 in Scotland but it is now a rare straggler to any part of the 

 British Isles. 



