186 Zoological Notes, by Andrew Brotherston. 



colour is a rich dark brown. Primaries and secondaries, very 

 dark brown, almost black. Upper part of the tail ashy grey 

 (not white as usually described), the dark bar across the end is 

 three inches broad in the centre feathers, gradually increasing in 

 width to the outer ones, where it is five inches wide. At no very 

 distant date the Golden Eagle bred regularly on the Cheviots ; 

 even so recently as the early part of the present century — ac- 

 cording to Sir Wm. Jardine — one or two pairs used to breed on 

 the wild range of the Scottish Borders. Now it is very rare that 

 one is seen on the Borders. Indeed, so far as I am aware this is 

 the only authentic instance of a capture of the Golden Eagle in 

 this district for many years.* Judging from newspaper reports, 

 they are not uncommon, but when inquiry is made concerning 

 them — if an eagle at all — it turns out to be the Erne, or Sea 

 Eagle, that has been obtained, and not the Golden Eagle. There 

 was an Erne captured at Chester Hall, near Greenlaw, a few 

 years ago, and another shot on the adjacent estate of Marchmont, 

 on February 7th, 1877. Both went the round of the newspapers 

 as Golden Eagles. I have not seen either of the above two birds, 

 but from the description of those who have seen them, I have no 

 doubt, whatever, of both being Sea Eagles. Surely two birds so 

 distinct as these two are, ought not to be confounded by those re- 

 porting them. Whatever may be the age or sex, there is no 

 difficulty in discriminating between them, a glance at the tarsi 

 alone being sufficient. The tarsus of the Golden Eagle is 

 feathered to the toes, while that of the Erne is bare almost to the 

 " knee." There are other good distinctive characters, such as the 

 number of scales on the toes, &c, but it is needless here to 

 particularise them. The Golden Eagle is a much rarer bird 

 generally than the Erne. " Capt. Cameron states, with a view 

 to show the comparative numbers of the Golden and White- 

 tailed Eagles, that out of sixty -five Eagles he has killed or caused 

 to be killed, only three were of the first-named species." (Birds 

 of the West of Scotland," p. 5). Many people express surprise 

 that this one was found so far from its regular haunts. But 

 when we take into consideration their powers of flight, and also 

 their wandering habits in the autumn and winter months, it is 



* Sir W. Elliot, quoting from Turnbull's " Birds of East Lothian," men- 

 tions one which was caught in a vermin trap, near Coldingham, in March, 

 1876 ("Proc." vii., p. 319). 



