AQUILINE. 55 



are much inferior in courage to the Falcons and liawks, though su- 

 perior in this respect to the Kites and Buzzards. Thej are much 

 on the wing, hunting for their prey, and nestle both on cliffs 

 and on trees. They may be divided into the following groups : — 

 True Eagles,— Kite Eagles,— Hawk Eagles,~Serpent Eagles,— 

 and Fishing Eagles. 



1st. — True Eagles. 

 Gen. Aquila. 

 Char.~Bil\ strong, more or less lengthened, straight at the base, 

 arching downwards towards the tip, which is moderately hooked ; 

 upper mandible with the margin somewhat sinuate ; nostrils obHque, 

 oblong ; wings long, with the 4th and 5th quills sub- equal and 

 longest; tail moderate or long, roimded or . graduated; tarsus 

 moderately long, feathered to the toes ; toes with reticulated scales, 

 with some large scuta near the claws, which are of moderate size 

 and curvature ; the hind toe and claw powerful ; the outer toe 

 joined by a small web to the middle toe. 



These are the typical Eagles, and are the largest of the family ; 

 but they vary greatly in size. They are usually birds of plain and 

 dark plumage, and have dark irides. The largest of them destroy 

 various quadrupeds, but few of them disdain food that has not been 

 killed by themselves, and some feed greedily on carrion. 



16. Aquila Chrysaetos, Lik 



Falco, apud LiXNiEUS — Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 6 — Blytfj, 

 Cat. 109 — HoESF., Cat. 57 — F. niger, Gmel. — F. Melanonotus, 

 Lath. — A. daph^nia, Hodgson — A. nobilis, Pallas. 



The Golden Eagle. 



Descr. — Adult rich dark umber brown, glossed with purple 

 on the back and wings ; the feathers of the hind head and nape 

 lanceolate, pale orange brown, having a golden appearance in the 

 sunshine ; shoulders, thigh coverts in front, and leg coverts with 

 a tinge of the same ; quills blackish brown, white towards the base 

 on the inner webs, and clouded with greyish black; tail nearly 

 square, the centre feathers somewhat elongated and narrowed, 



