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Genus AQUILA. 



Abulia, Brisson, Orn. i. p. 419 (1760). 



Falco apud Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 125 (1766). 



Spizaetus apud Jerdon, Madr. Journ. x. p. 75 (1839). 



JButa'etus apud Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xiv. p.- 174 (1845). 



Hiraetus apud Kaup, Mus. Senck. iii. p. 260 (1845). 



Gyclaetes apud L. Brehm, Allg. deutsch. natur. Zeit. i. p. 48. 



Nisaetus apud Sharpe, Cat. Accipt. Brit. Mus. p. 253 (1874). 



This genus contains twelve species, eight of which are found in the Western Palaearctic Region, 

 the genus being represented in the Palaearctic, Ethiopian, Oriental, and Nearctic Regions. 



The Eagles are powerful birds, somewhat heavy and slow like the Buzzards, but fierce and 

 well able to capture their prey by pouncing on it. They inhabit mountainous regions, as well as 

 large open plains and wooded localities, and may be seen sailing in circles at great altitudes, as 

 well as flying near the ground in search of food. They feed on mammals, birds, and occasionally 

 on carrion, though as a rule they capture their prey by pouncing on it. Their cry is a loud yelp 

 uttered several times in succession. Their nests are placed on a cliff, tree, or on the ground, 

 and are bulky, being constructed of twigs and branches and lined with grass, fur, wool, or any 

 available soft material. Their eggs, which are usually deposited early in the season, vary a good 

 deal, some being pale bluish-white, unspotted, whereas others are blotched and marked with 

 violet-grey and rich dark red. 



Aqytila chrysa'etus, the type of the genus, has the beak strong, moderately long, curved from 

 the cere, acute, the cutting-edges nearly straight ; nostrils oval, lateral, oblique ; wings long, 

 broad, the first quill short, being about as long as the secondaries, the fourth or fifth the longest ; 

 tail rather long, nearly even or slightly rounded ; legs strong, the tarsus feathered to the base of 

 the toes ; the last phalanx of each toe covered by three large scales ; claws strong, curved, acute. 



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