102 WHITE-HEADED, OR BALD EAGLE. 



the broadest secondaries are three inches in breadth across 

 the vane ; the scapulars are very large and broad, spreading 

 from the back to the wing, to prevent the air from passing 

 through ; another range of broad flat feathers, from three to 

 ten inches in length, also extends from the lower part of the 

 breast to the wing below, for the same purpose ; between 

 these lies a deep triangular cavity ; the thighs are remarkably 

 thick, strong, and muscular, covered with long feathers point- 

 ing backwards, usually called the femoral feathers ; the legs, 

 which are covered half way below the knee, before, with dark 

 brown downy feathers, are of a rich yellow, the colour of ripe 

 Indian corn ; feet the same ; claws, blue black, very large 

 and strong, particularly the inner one, which is considerably 

 the largest; soles, very rough and warty ; the eye is sunk under 

 a bony, or cartilaginous projection, of a pale yellow colour, and 

 is turned considerably forwards, not standing parallel with the 

 cheeks ; the iris is of a bright straw colour, pupil black. 



The male is generally two or three inches shorter than the 

 female; the white on the head, neck, and tail being more 

 tinged with yellowish, and its whole appearance less formi- 

 dable ; the brown plumage is also lighter, and the bird itself 

 less daring than the female, — a circumstance common to 

 almost all birds of prey. 



The bird from which the foregoing drawing and description 

 were taken, was shot near Great Egg Harbour, in the month 

 of January. It was in excellent order, and weighed about 

 eleven pounds. Dr Samuel B. Smith, of this city, obliged 

 me with a minute and careful dissection of it ; from whose 

 copious and very interesting notes on the subject, I shall 

 extract such remarks as are suited to the general reader. 



" The eagle you sent me for dissection was a beautiful 

 female. It had two expansions of the gullet. The first prin- 

 cipally composed of longitudinal bundles of fibre, in which 

 (as the bird is ravenous and without teeth) large portions of 

 unmasticated meats are suffered to dissolve before they pass 

 to the lower or proper stomach, which is membranous. I did 

 not receive the bird time enough to ascertain whether any 



