BIRD OF WASHINGTON. 63 



anteriorly covered with transversely naiTow scutella, posteriorly with 

 large, laterally with small tuberculous scales ; toes robust, free, scutellate 

 above, papillar and scabrous beneath, with large tubercles; claws curved, 

 rounded, marginate beneath, very acute. 



Plumage compact, imbricated, glossy ; feathers of the head, neck and 

 breast narrow and pointed ; of the back, breast and belly, ovate, distinct, 

 acute ; the wing-coverts narrow, acute, compact. Space between the 

 beak and eye barish, being sparsely covered with feathers consisting of a 

 shaft, downy at the base, prolonged into a hair. Eyebrow bare, and 

 greatly projecting. Wings long, second quill longest, first considera- 

 bly shorter. Tail of ordinary length, rounded^ extending considera- 

 bly beyond the tips of the wings, of twelve broad acute feathers. Tarsus 

 feathered one-third down. 



Bill bluish-black, the edges pale, the soft margin towards the com-\ 

 missure, and the base of the under mandible yellow. Cere yellowish- 

 brown. Lore light greenish-blue. Iris chestnut-brown. Feet deep yel- 

 low ; claws bluish-black. Upper part of the head, hind neck, back, sca- 

 pulars, rump, tail-coverts, and posterior tibial feathers blackish-brown, 

 glossed with a coppery tint. Throat, fore-neck, breast and belly light 

 brownish-yellow, each feather marked along the centre with blackish- 

 brown. Wing-coverts light greyish-brown, those next the body becom- 

 ing darker and approaching the colour of the back. Primary quiUs dark 

 brown, deeper on their inner webs ; secondaries lighter, and on their 

 outer webs of nearly the same light tint as their coverts. Tail uniform 

 dark brown. Anterior tibial feathers greyish-brown. 



Length 3 feet 7 inches, extent of wings 10 feet 2 inches. Bill 3^ 

 inches along the back ; along the gap, which commences directly under 

 the eye, to the tip of the lower mandible 3y, and If deep. Length of 

 wing when folded 32 inches ; length of tail 1 5 inches ; tarsus 4^, middle 

 4|, hind claw 2^. 



The two stomachs large and baggy . Their contents in the indivi- 

 dual described were fish, fishes' scales, and entrails of various kinds. In- 

 testines large, but thin and transparent. — -^^ 



Passing over the affinity of this bird to the young of the White-headed 

 Eagle {Falco leucocephalus), which Wilson has described and figured un- 

 der the name of Sea Eagle {Falco Ossifragus Linn.), I shall institute a 

 comparison between it and the true Sea Eagle or Cinereous Eagle {Falco 

 Albkilla), which bears so strong a resemblance to the Bird of Washing- 



