GOLDEN EAGLE. 



RAPTORES. FALCONIDJE. 



PLATE II. 



GOLDEN EAGLE. 



Aquila Chrysaeta. (Fleming.) 



The Golden Eagle is found in many parts of Europe, 

 inhabiting the Pyrenees, the Tyrol, and the mountainous 

 parts of France and Germany. It is common in Sweden, 

 and is found in forest districts in other parts of the north of 

 Europe. In the British Islands the localities of the Golden 

 Eagle are chiefly confined to Scotland, Ireland, the Orkney 

 and Shetland Isles. It is rare in England, although instances 

 of its capture are recorded to have taken place even in some 

 of the southern and western counties. These can, however, 

 only be considered as of accidental occurrence, since the breed- 

 ing places are chiefly confined to limits not further south than 

 the Grampians. A geographical survey of the localities above 

 assigned to the Golden Eagle, as well as of those more parti- 

 cularly specified by ornithologists, appear to prove that this 

 species prefers mountains of minor elevation, leaving to a 

 nearly allied species, the Aquila Imperialis of Temminck, the 

 more lofty ranges of the Alps and the mountains of Hungary 

 and Austria. 



In America, the arctic and temperate regions are alike the 

 abode of the Golden Eagle. In the old Continent its range 

 does not appear to extend far eastward, and it is not included 

 by Temminck among the birds of Japan. 



In perfect adult plumage, the Golden Eagle may at once 

 be distinguished from the other British species, by the rufous 



