20 RAPTORES. HALI^ETUS. Sea-Eagle. 



in many other instances. An opportunity having occurred 

 of watching the progress of the young Sea Eagle from its 

 earliest age, I eagerly availed myself of it, and witnessed the 

 gradual and interesting changes it underwent, till it had 

 finally acquired the plumage of the adult or Cinereous Eagle. 

 During this process, I was happy to find, that my supposi- 

 tion had been anticipated, and the fact ascertained in France, 

 by that eminent naturalist Mons. Cuvier*, as well as by 

 Mons. Temminck. 



The Cinereous Eagle is more numerous than the prece- 

 ding species, and is found in all the northern and mountainous 

 maritime districts of Scotland and Ireland, and in the Orkney 

 and Shetland Isles. It is also of a more roving disposition, 

 and has frequently been killed in England. 



MoNTAGU-f- mentions several instances, and adds, that 

 scarcely a year passes without some of these birds being seen 

 in the New Forest in Hampshire. In Northumberland, the 

 Cinereous Eagle has frequently been seen during the winter 

 months. About six years ago, a fine specimen was killed at 

 Chillingham Park, the seat of the Earl of Tankehville ; 

 and two more in the winter of the following year, and both 

 of these were in the state indicating immaturity. They ap- 

 pear to have resorted to this place from a facility of obtaining 

 food, which the weak and fallen deer in a hard season libe- 

 rally present. 



In February 1828, two eagles of this species were killed 

 upon the Northumbrian Coast ; one near to Scremmerstone, 

 and now in the possession of Robert Wilkie, Esq. of La- 

 dythorn ; the other at Holy Island, and now in my collec- 

 tion, having been kindly presented to me by John Donald- 

 son, Esq. of Cheswick. They were both immature birds, 

 apparently about two years and a half old, having undergone 

 two nioultings. The bird presented to me proved to be a 



• CuviER, Reg. Anim. toni. i. p. ^5. ; and Temminck, torn. i. p. 49. 

 ■f Montagu, Ornith. Diet. Supplement, art. Cinereous Eagle, 



