GOLDEN EAGLE. 11 



medium of the atmosphere, and harmonises perfectly with the 

 scenes by which it is surrounded, verifying the saying, that 

 in Nature all is harmony. Their food consists of deer, 

 lambs, fawns, and other quadrupeds : they do not reject 

 birds, and are said to regale themselves upon the young of 

 sea fowl. The places chosen for nidification are rocks and 

 lofty forest trees, and the eggs are two or three in number. 

 They appear partial to their old haunts, and have been 

 known to revisit, several years in succession, the same breeding 

 places. By continental authors, the graphic name of Stein- 

 adler is bestowed upon this species in allusion to its favourite 

 haunts. 



The egg marked No. 2, figured from a specimen in the 

 British Museum, is the one belonging to this species, and is 

 represented, as well as all others in this work, of the natural 

 size. 



The following dimensions are taken from an adult speci- 

 men at the British Museum. Beak, from the forehead to the 

 tip, two inches three lines ; from the gape to the tip, two 

 inches nine lines ; from the front corner of the eye to the tip 

 of the beak, three inches. Space from the eye to the nostril 

 covered with radiating black hairs. Length of the wing, from 

 carpus to tip of the third, which is the longest feather in the 

 wing, twenty-six inches and a half. Expanse of foot, seven 

 inches, including the claws. Hinder claw two inches, de- 

 scribing one-third of a circle ; inner claw one inch ten lines, 

 middle claw one inch four lines ; the claws are grooved be- 

 neath. On the middle toe three or four large scales ; on the 

 outer, inner, and hinder, three, on the last joint of each toe ; 

 middle toe, including the nail, measures three inches and a 

 half. In this species the gape does not extend further back- 

 ward than the front corner of the eye. 



The drawing from which the plate is taken, is from a 

 living specimen at the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park. 



