THE SPOTTED EAGLE. 13 



to wash themselves, a large vessel was provided : when fresh 

 water is put into this vessel, it is at once occupied by one of them, 

 and surrounded by the others waiting their turn for a dip ; they 

 constantly lie in it for some time until completely wetted." 



THE SPOTTED EAGLE. 

 The Eough-footed Eagle. 



Aquila nosvia, Brisson. 



Falco „ F. maculatus, Gmel. 



Has been obtained in the south of Ireland. 



In September, 1845, Mr. R. Davis, jun., of Clonmel, wrote to 

 me respecting a bird then in Iris possession : " In contour, bill, 

 eyes, legs, &c, it is a miniature of the golden eagle, but about 

 one-third less than a male of that species ; except the tail-coverts 

 and some spots on the wings and breast, it is entirely of a 

 very deep glossy blackish- brown : the body is of small size, 

 comparatively with the head, wings, and tail." [Claws, yellow ; 

 beak, horn-colour, with a yellow streak at the base; weight, 

 rather exceeding that of a full-grown raven.' 54 '] Tins gentleman 

 subsequently forwarded for my inspection, a coloured drawing of 

 the bird, (which he believed to be of this species,) repre- 

 senting it in immature plumage. A wood-cut taken from the 

 drawing has appeared in the second edition of YarrelTs British 

 Birds, vol. i. p. 10, and in the Zoologist for January, 1846. In a 

 communication made to the Annals of Natural History for Nov., 

 1845, p. 351, Mr. Davis stated that the bird was shot when 

 preying on a rabbit, in January, 1845, on the estate of the Earl 

 of Shannon, in the county of Cork. Another eagle of the same 

 species, said to be similarly marked, but rather lighter in colour, 

 had been killed there a few days before. The two birds had been 

 observed for several weeks previously, sweeping over the low 

 grounds between Castle-martyr and Clay Castle, near Youghal. 



In a letter from Dr. Harvey of Cork, dated Oct. 30, 1845, it 

 was remarked, with reference to the Irish specimen: — "Mr. 



* Noted by Mr. S. Moss, of Youghal, who received the bird iu a fresh state. 



