The Golden Eagle "7 



short, roiuidisli, stout, and feathered U) tlie point. Tlie toes arc covered with 

 roundish scales, padded beneath with soft papilla;, on each of the toes are four 

 terminal scutellas. The claws are strong, curved, and sharp, the first and second 

 largest, the fourth comparatively very small. 



The cere is large and bare above, but its sides and a broad space from the 

 bill to the eye are covered with bristle feathers. The plumage is close and com- 

 pressed, with the exception of the feathers of the abdomen which are loose and 

 downy ; the wings are very long and broad, and, when closed, reach nearly to the 

 end of the tail ; the tail is of moderate length, straight, broad, and slightly 

 rounded. 



The general colour of the plumage is dark chocolate brown, somewhat glossed 

 with purple ; on the crown of the head and nape the feathers are fulvous and 

 elongated ; the head, neck, tarsus, and inner sides of the thighs light yellowish brown ; 

 tail brownish black, more or less variegated with grey. The young are brown, 

 and have the basal half of the tail white. The female resembles the male, but is 

 much larger. In the adults the bill and claws are black, shaded towards the base 

 with greyish-blue ; cere and skin at base of bill rich yellow ; irides hazel ; toes 

 rich yellow. 



Adult males vary in length from thirty to thirty-four inches, with an average 

 alar extent of aboiit six feet ; females vary from thirty-four to thirty-nine inches 

 in length, with an alar extent of seven feet, three inches. 



The plumage of the adult Golden Eagle is brightest immediately after the 

 moult ; the upper parts are then a rich chocolate brown, with purplish reflections, 

 and the tawny feathers of the nape and crown are of a richer gold ; the brightness 

 of the feathers gradually fades ; after examining upwards of fifty Scotch specimens 

 Macgillivray came to the conclusion that birds when they first attain the mature 

 dress are darkest, and that older birds become lighter with advancing age. In a 

 young bird, recently shot on Ben Nevis, and examined by the writer, the head 

 and neck are covered with pale rust coloured, elongated feathers, each feather 

 tipped with huffish white ; and the plumage of the back is a light brown ; the 

 small upper wing-coverts along the carpus are of a pale rust colour, slightly tipped 

 with buffy white ; throat and under parts blackish brown ; tarsi ver^^ pale fa^\■n 

 colour, almost white at their juncture with the toes ; tail blackish brovra at tip, 

 basal part white ; all the body feathers have their basal ends white. 



