ClafsII. RINGTAIL EAGLE. 125 



" In theyearof our. Lord 1668, in the woodlands 



* near the river Derweni, in the Peak of Berbyjhirey 

 ' was found an eagle's nefl: made of great fticks, 

 ' refting one end on the edge of a rock, the other on 

 ' two birch trees ; upon which was a layer of rulhes, 



* and over them a layer of heath, and upon the heath 



* rulhes again ; upon which lay one young one, and 



* an addle egg ; and by them a lamb, a hare, and 

 , ' three heath poults. The neft was about two yards 



* fquare, and had no hollow in it. The young eagle 



* was black as a hobby, of the (hape of a golhawk, 



* of almoft the weight of a goofe, rough footed, or 



* feathered down to the foot ; having a white ring 

 ' about the tail.' 



Mr. Willoughhy imagines, his firft pygargus, or 

 white tailed eagle, p. 6i. to be but a variety of this, 

 having the fame charaftcriftic mark, and differing 

 only in the pale color of the head. 



The antients believed, ihat the pebble, commonly 

 called the titles*, or eagle ftone, was formed in the 

 eagle*s neft ; and that the eggs could not be hatched 

 without its afliftance. Many abfurd ftories have 

 bc;en raifed about this foffil, which (as it bears but an 

 imaginary relation to the eagle) muft be omitted in a 

 zoologic work. 



* If the reader's curioiity fhould be excited, we refer him for 

 information to P/znj, lib. x. c. 3. lib. xxx. c. 21. to Boetius cU 

 gemmiifTp, 375. to Dr. Woodixara^ catalogue off ci^ils, vol. i. p. 53. 

 <• 268. 269. and Grevjs Rarities,^. 297. 



K 3 Species 



