do O^ftClTHOLOgr. Book n; 





the Ancients, who in delivering the notes of Animals are wont to be left curious and 

 exad. But whatever the Ancients called the Sea-Eagle, certain it is that the title of 

 Sea-Eagle may be very fitly attributed to this Bird. For if we admit the Bald Buzzard 

 for the Sea-Eagle, (which, to fpeak the truth, agrees better to the defcriptions of the 

 Ancients ) we take away all note of diftinftion between Eaglesand Hawks, which (as 

 we laid before ) confifts only in difference of magnitude. 

 The riefcripd- ThcOJfifiage then or Sea-Eagle is thus defcribed by AJdrovandm. From the point 



qffiJh* °^ tiie Bea k to t ^ ie enc * °^ t ^ ie tra * n or Galons, ( for the ends of both when extended 

 its length. were coincident) it was three feet and four Inches long: From tip to tip of the 

 Weil?' Wings ftretched out nine fpans broad. It weighed eleven pound. The Bill was 

 Beak. C " ver y hooked, lb that the hooked part alone was an Inch long 5 the whole two Inches 

 broad, and an hand-breadth long 5 of a blackifh or dusky horn colour, fomewhat ap- 

 Tongue. proaching to a dark blue. The Tongue was very like to a mans, with a broad top, and 

 hooked, hard, and horny Appendices on both fides, tied down to the lower mandible 

 by a thin Membrane, where it regards the chin a horny Membrane compafies the end 

 or tip of it. The lower mandible was hollowed like a channel, [ I fuppofe he means 

 the fides of it ] the edges or borders of which channel enter the Palate on both fides, 

 The Palate. ari( | are enclofed within its edges. In the middle of the Palate is a chink by which a 

 The head and pituitous humour diftils from the head. The head and all the neck are cloathed with 

 long, narrow, and rigid feathers. From the Chin hang down Imall feathers like hairs 

 imitating a beard 5 whence perchance by Pliny and alio BeUonius it is denominated 

 The Beard, the bearded Eagle : And I from that note chiefly fuppofe it to be called Harpe by Op - 

 The colour of p?an, The feathers of the whole body fingly are particoloured, and that with three 

 ThaH thers ' co l° urs > whitifh, duskifh, and ferrugineous. The flag-feathers of the Wings are al- 

 The TraS". m °ft wholly black, fomething tending to Chefhut. The twelve feathers of the Train 

 have little or nothing of red, but are only (potted with black and white, viz. whitifh 

 on the outfide, dusky on the inner. The two middlemoft, being befprinkled pro- 

 mifcuoufly with white fpots, are for the melt part dusky. The ends or tips of all are 

 black. The feathers growing on the rump, which immediately cover thefe, are almoft 

 The Legs. wholly white,fprinkled with a little black,fave that their tips are black. Their Legs 

 are almoft wholly covered with dusky feathers, fomewhat inclining to fulvous 5 fo 

 that there is only two inches to the feet remaining bare. Befides the feathers the 

 veredwith 00 " whole body underneath is covered with a white and foft down, as it were a delicate 

 Down. fleece, after the lame manner as the skin of a Swan* The lower part of the Legs, 



which as we faid for the Ipace of two Inches is deftitute of feathers, and the feet are 

 The Toes. of a deep yellow. The toes extended are a full fpan 5 the length of the middlemoft 

 The Talen% is equal to a Palm. The Talons were very black in fo much that they fhone again 5 

 and fo hooked that they did exactly reprefent a Semicircle. They obferved thispro- 

 portion one to another 5 the hindmoft being the biggeft was two Inches long 5 the firft 

 of the fore ones lelier than it, but bigger than the middlemoft, and the laft thejeaft 

 of all. The fubftance of the Talons was inwardly white and bony, covered over out- 

 wardly with a dusky bark. The leg and foot were for the moft part covered with 

 round fcalesof unequal bignefs^ but the fore-part of the Leg, and upper part of the 

 * Golden En. toes had Semicircular Tables like the * Cbyfdetos. 



c£jlua takes Clufttts fent to Aldrovandm the Picture of this Bird drawn in colours to the life, by 

 this for the the title of the Sea-Eagle, writing thereof in this manner, This Hali<eetus, which our 

 sea- Eagle. Countrymen living intheSea-coaftcall Zee Aren, that is, Sea-Eagle, was (hot the laft 

 Winter, &c That this Eagle feeds only on Fifh I my felf can witnefs, for in the fto- 

 mach thereof difle&ed we found nothing but Fifh, fome remaining yet entire, ibme 

 half confumed,e^tf. 

 Enoiiih oft - e Tilat this Bird is tlie ^ ame wnicn our Seamen and Fowlers call the Ofyrey, and affirm 

 " §1 ^ to have one flat or webbed foot to fwim withal, after the manner of aGoofi or 

 other Water-fowl, the other being divided after the manner of other Birds of prey, 

 That it hath I d° not at all doubt. But what is reported concerning the feet is moft certainly falfe 

 not one foot and fabulous : although by fome affirming it with great confidence, even the beft Na- 

 ocS'doven. turalifts have been deceived 3 among the reft Aldrovandm himfelf, not daring rafhly 

 to contradict, Albertm Magnus English men and Burgundians eye-witnefTes. For (faith 

 he) the Natives of each Country are moft likely beft to know what things are pecu- 

 liar to their own Country either by Land or Sea, Well, I my felf am an Englijh man, 

 yet have I never yet met with any credible perfon who would affirm himfelf to be an 

 Eye-witnefs of this matter, although the Vulgar be Co confidently perfuaded of it, 

 that fcarceany body doubts its truth, What gave the firft occafion and rife to this 



Error 



