198 GOLDEN EAGLE. Class IL 



of which seldom more than two are prolific ; 

 Providence denying a large increase to rapacious 

 birds/* because they are noxious to mankind, 

 but graciously bestowing an almost boundless 

 one on such as are of use to us. This kind of 

 eade sometimes migrates into Caemai^vonskire, 

 and there are instances, though rare, of its hav- 

 ing bred in the Snoxvdon hills, from whence some 

 writers give that tract the name of Creigiaur 

 eryrii or the eagle rocks ; others that of Crei- 

 giaur eira, or the snowy rocks ; the latter seems 

 the more natural epithet, it being more reason- 

 able to imagine that those mountains, like Niph- 

 ates in Afinema, and Imam '\ in Tartary, de- 

 rived their name from the circumstance of being 

 covered with snow, which is sure to befal them 

 near the half of every year, than from the acci- 

 dental appearance of a bird on them, once only 

 in several years. 

 Descrip- The golden eagle weighs about twelve pounds ; 

 its length is three feet ; the extent of its wings 

 seven feet four inches; the bill is three inches 

 long, and of a deep blue color; the cere is yel- 

 low ; the irides of a hazel color : the sight and 

 sense of smelling are very acute : her eyes be- 



* Twv yafj.^uivvy^cov oXiyotCiKO. 'Tfavta. Arist. hist. an. 



^ Imaus incolarum lingua nivosum significante. Plin. 



lib. 6. c. 21. 



TION. 



