468 RING-TAILED EAGLE. 
This noble bird, in strength, spirit, and activity, ranks among the first 
of its tribe. It is found, though sparingly dispersed, over the whole 
temperate and arctic regions, particularly the latter; breeding on high, 
precipitous rocks, always preferring a mountainous country. In its 
general appearance, it has great resemblance to the Golden Eagle, from 
which, however, it differs in being rather less, as also in the colors and 
markings of the tail, and, as it is said, in being less noisy. When young, 
the color of the body is considerably lighter, but deepens into a blackish 
brown as it advances in age. ; 
The tail-feathers of this bird are highly valued by the various tribes 
of American Indians, for ornamenting their calumets, or pipes of peace, 
Several of these pipes, which were brought from the remote regions of 
Louisiana, by Captain Lewis, are now deposited in Mr. Peale’s museum, 
each of which has a number of the tail-feathers of this bird attached 
to it. The northern as well as southern Indians seem to follow the 
like practice, as appears by the numerous calumets, formerly belonging 
to different tribes, to be seen in the same magnificent collection. 
Mr. Pennant informs us, that the independent Tartars ‘train this 
Eagle for the chase of hares, foxes, wolves, antelopes, &c., and that 
they esteem the feathers of the tail the best for pluming their arrows. 
The Ring-Tail Eagle is characterized by all as a generous, spirited, and. 
docile bird; and various extraordinary incidents are related of it by 
different writers, not, however, sufficiently authenticated to deserve 
repetition. The truth is, the solitary habits of the Eagle now before 
us, the vast, inaccessible cliffs to which it usually retires, united with 
the scarcity of the species in those regions inhabited by man, all com- 
bine to render a particular knowledge of its manners very difficult to 
be obtained. The author has, once or twice, observed this bird sailing 
along the alpine declivities of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, 
early in October, and again, over the Highlands of Hudson’s River, not 
far from West Point. Its flight was easy, in high, circuitous sweeps ; 
its broad, white tail, tipped with brown, expanded like a fan. Near the 
settlements on Hudson’s Bay, it is more common, and is said to prey 
on hares, and the various species of Grouse which abound there. Buf- 
fon observes, that, though other Eagles also prey upon hares, this spe- 
cies is a more fatal enemy to those timid animals, which are the con- 
stant object of their search, and the prey which they prefer. The 
Latins, after Pliny, termed the Eagle Valeria quasi valens viribus, be- 
cause of its strength, which appears greater than that of the other 
Eagles in proportion to its size. . 
The Ring-Tail Eagle measures nearly three feet inlength; the bill 
is of a brownish horn color; the cere, sides of the mouth, and feet, 
yellow; iris of the eye, reddish hazel, the eye turned considerably 
forwards; eyebrow, remarkably prominent, projecting over the eye, and 
giving a peculiar sternness to the aspect of the bird ; the crown is flat; 
the plumage of the head, throat, and neck, Jong and. pointed; that on 
the upper part of the head and neck, very pale ferruginous; fore part 
of the crown, black; all the pointed feathers are shafted with black; 
whole upper parts, dark blackish brown ; wings, black; tail, rounded, 
long, of a white, or pale cream color, minutely sprinkled with specks 
of ash, and dusky, and ending in a broad band of deep dark brown, of 
nearly one third its length; chin, cheeks, and throat, black; whole 
