16 falconim:. 



all that were then said to be at " the Horn." The bird which we 

 raised from the nest containing eggs, was thought by the gamekeeper 

 to have no partner, as he had killed a male bird a few weeks before. 

 I gazed for a long time at three of these eagles, both when they 

 were at rest and on wing ; at first through a telescope, bat as 

 they permitted a much nearer approach than was anticipated, I 

 had afterwards an excellent and near view of them. The head 

 and neck in every position appeared almost as white as the tail,* 

 and was so distinguished from a great distance, more especially 

 when thrown into relief by a dark rocky back-ground. One of 

 these birds was pursued by several gulls (Larus camis?) and kestrels, 

 which kept closely flying after, and sometimes even apparently 

 striking him. A gull certainly once did so, but the eagle, " tower- 

 ing in his pride of place," did not deign even momentarily to 

 notice any of his puny assailants. 



Here to the present time these noble birds probably still main- 

 tain their ground. I learn from scientific friends f who visited 

 Horn Head on the 4th of August, 1845, that from one point of 

 view they saw five eagles, three old (as denoted by their white 

 tails) soaring above, and two young (as was supposed from their 

 darker plumage) flying along the face of the cliffs. At Tory 

 Island, off this coast, the same party saw two sea eagles a few 

 days afterwards, and were told that a pair, but never more, has 

 always an eyrie there. 



Under the Golden Eagle, it has been mentioned, that of the 

 number thirteen or fourteen eagles killed at the Horn within 

 four years, J all but one individual were the Haliaetos albicilla. 



a particular locality, not only in the breeding season, but throughout the year, it 

 would seem that the species is monogamous, or pairs for life. 



* The colour of the head and neck in preserved specimens of adult birds, (having 

 the tail pure white,) examined by me, have presented considerable difference in this 

 respect, and, though none had this portion of plumage altogether white, yet some 

 were marked so faintly with very pale ash-grey, as to exhibit the appearance of soiled 

 white, which, contrasted with the dark hue of the back and wings, gives from a dis- 

 tance the appearance above described. 



t Mr. Edmund Getty, Mr. Geo. C. Hyndman, and Mr. John Grattan, three of the 

 most valuable members of the Scientific and Literary Institutions of Belfast. 



X The reward alone could hardly have prompted the destruction of this number, — 

 one shilling a head only beiwg given by the proprietor of the Horn for them. 



