EXPERIENCES WITH EAGLES. 199 



the opinion, hereinbefore expressed, that there also breeds 

 — though rarely — in Spain a true tawny eagle — Aq. rapax, 

 or otherwise. The grounds for this opinion are that the 

 bird we consider to be the Tawny Eagle is of different type 

 and build, besides being of a darker and richer colour — 

 always uniform, whereas the Imperial Eagles breeding in 

 the pale plumage are invariably spotted, or "marbled." 



In leaving the Imperial Eagle we annex weights and 

 dimensions of five examples killed by us : — 



Of the Booted Eagle (Aquila pennata) and the Serpent- 

 Eagle (Circaetus gallicus), both of which are more or less 

 numerous spring-migrants to Spain, we have treated else- 

 where, and need only add that all our specimens of the 

 Booted Eagle (both sexes) are of the pale variety with 

 shaded brown back, a broad light bar across either wing, 

 and white, streaked breast. 



The Spotted Eagle (Aquila navia) we have never person- 

 ally met with: though Arevalo (Aves dc Espaila, p. 58) 

 describes it as not uncommon, nesting in crevices of 

 rocks among the wooded mountains, and frequenting the 

 rice-swamps of Valencia. 



The White-tailed Sea-Eagle (Halueetus albicilla) accord- 

 ing to Spanish authorities, is also found on passage and in 

 winter. Manuel de la Torre gave us its name as " Aguila 

 leona," but we have never seen it in Spain at any season. 



On January 4th, 1888, we made the acquaintance of 

 another fine species, one of the largest of the feathered 

 race, under the following circumstances : — We were par- 

 tridge-shooting, and before our advancing line observed 

 soaring over the plain a pair of enormous birds, which we 

 took for the largest Imperial Eagles we had ever seen. B. 

 had always held that those I had previously shot here (as 

 just related) were of small size, and that there existed, on 



