46 Contributions to the 



how far carried, on its master's arm. It is quite indifferent to the 

 presence of any persons who may be in his company, and is unwil- 

 ling to leave him even to take a flight, having to be thrown into the 

 air whenever he wishes it to do so. When this eagle is at large, 

 my friend has only to hold out his arm towards it, which, as soon 

 as perceived, even from a distance, it flies to, and perches on. I 

 have seen it thus come to him not less than a dozen times within 

 half-an-hour, without any food being offered. It runs very fast. 

 When on the ground, and the lure is thrown comparatively near, 

 it prefers this mode of progression to using its wings. It is also 

 fed from the " fist." Live rats have several times been turned out 

 of the cage-trap to this bird, but before running very far, they were 

 invariably pounced upon. Four full-grown rats have been taken 

 at a meal; an entire Heron, (Ardea cinerea,) except the headandlegs, 

 was also eaten on one occasion. It differs somewhat in its manner 

 of feeding from two sea eagles (Halieeetus albicilla) which are kept 

 along with it ; when the head and neck of a goose is offered, the 

 golden eagle eats them entire, the latter take the flesh off only, 

 leaving the harder parts ; and when entire birds are given, the sea 

 eagle plucks many more feathers off than the golden ; the latter as- 

 similating to the peregrine falcon (Falcoperegrinus) in this respect. 

 This golden eagle is more partial to alighting on trees than the sea 

 eagles, and stationed on their tops, keeps its master in view, fol- 

 lowing him about the demesne, and where plantations often inter- 

 vene, flying from one to another in the direction he walks, indo- 

 lently remaining as long as possible where it perches, consistently 

 with keeping him in sight. 



A golden eagle, also from Scotland, belonging to Mr William Sin- 

 claire, is a much more familiar bird than a sea eagle in his posses- 

 sion, but being kept in town, its docility has not been put to the 

 proof as in Air Langtry's bird. 



The golden eagle is generally represented as exceeding the sea 

 eagle in magnitude, but such specimens of the latter as I have ex- 

 amined were invariably of superior size to the former, and I speak 

 from comparison of adult individuals of the same sex. 



Sea Eagle. — Halieeetus albicilla, Selby. — The first Sea Eagle I 

 had the satisfaction of seeing in Ireland was on the 25th of June 

 1832, when visiting the majestic promontory of Horn Head, which 

 rises precipitously from the ocean to an elevation of nearly 600 feet. 

 On looking over the cliff on the eastern side, one of these birds rose 

 from a platform of rock about sixty yards distant. Immediately 



