198 GOLDEN EAGLE. Class II. 



of which seldom more than two are prolific; 

 Providence denying a large increase to rapacious 

 birds,* because they are noxious to mankind, 

 but graciously bestowing an almost boundless 

 one on such as are of use to us. This kind of 

 eagle sometimes migrates into Caernarvonshire, 

 and there are instances, though rare, of its hav- 

 ing bred in the Snow don hills, from whence some 

 writers give that tract the name of Creigiaur 

 eryri, or the eagle rocks ; others that of Crei- 

 giaiir eira, or the snowy rocks ; the latter seems 

 the more natural epithet, it being more reason- 

 able to imagine that those mountains, like Niph- 

 ates in Armenia, and Imaas'f in Tartary, de- 

 rived their name from the circumstance of being 

 covered with snow, which is sure to befal them 

 near the half of every year, than from the acci- 

 dental appearance of a bird on them, once only 

 in several years. 

 Descrip- The golden eagle weighs about twelve pounds ; 

 its length is three feet ; the extent of its wings 

 seven feet four inches; the bill is three inches 

 long, and of a deep blue color; the cere is yel- 

 low ; the irides of a hazel color : the sight and 

 sense of smelling are very acute : her eyes be- 



* Txv yc/.u^ujvvyojv oXiyoror.a niayta,. Arist. hist. an. 



f Jmaus incolarum lingua nivosum significante. Plin. 



lil.G.c. 21. 



TION. 



