134 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



uniform tawny to chocolate -brown with tinge of yellowish on 

 head. Young and old distinguished from Sea-Eagle by longer 

 and squarer tail. Rather silent, but occasionally utters barking 

 note and has also a yelping cry. (F .C.R.J.) 



Breeding-habits.— Haunts mountains and moorlands and resorts 

 to same locality year after year for breeding. Nest. — Bulky edi- 

 fice of sticks renewed partly every year and lined with clumps of 

 dead grass and almost always Luzula sylvatica. More usual site 

 is on ledge of steep cliff, but some nests are very easy of access ; 

 while a few are built in trees (Scotch pine). Eggs. — Normally 2, 

 only 1 in case of old hens, and very rarely 3, while there is record 

 of 4 on one occasion. In many cases one egg is white or nearly so, 

 while the other is more or less flecked or blotched with red-brown 

 and ashy -grey. Occasionally both eggs are well marked, but 

 sometimes neither shows more than traces of colour. Average 

 size of 100 British eggs, 76.7x59.4. Max: 88.9x66. Min : 

 70.1x57 and 77.6x51 mm. Breeding -season. — Begins late in 

 March, but usually about 1st or 2nd week April. Eggs laid with 

 interval of 2 or 3 days. Incubation. — In captivity shared by male 

 (Lilford) but Cameron says male takes no part. Period about 

 30-35 days. Young remain about 11 weeks in nest (Macpherson). 

 Single brooded. 



Food. — Varies to some extent according to haunts. In deer- 

 forests chiefly blue hares and Grouse ; also Ptarmigan on higher 

 ground, and lambs not infrequently taken on sheep-walks in spring. 

 Probably in case of eyries on sea-cliffs (now mostly unoccupied) 

 sea-birds were largely taken. In Scotland there are records of 

 red -deer calves being attacked ; and carrion is devoured at times. 

 There are also definite records of following : rabbit, brown rat, 

 mole, squirrel, stoat, Hooded Crow, Meadow-Pipit and, according 

 to Macgillivray, Black-game, Partridge, Curlew, Plover, Lapwing, 

 and probably other species. 



Distribution. — England and Wales. — Very rare vagrant. Occa- 

 sionally Yorks. and northwards, but southwards authentic ex- 

 amples procured only in Sussex, Norfolk, Lines., and Northants. 

 Formerly resident Wales, Derby, (about 200 years ago), Lake 

 District, and Cheviots (about 100 years ago). Scotland. — Resident 

 in Highlands and I. and O. Hebrides, formerly Orkneys, but un- 

 known Shetlands. To Lowlands very scarce visitor, but formerly 

 bred in south-west (about 60 years ago). Ireland. — Formerly 

 resident, now extinct. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Northern parts of Northern Hemisphere, 

 south to north Africa and the Himalayas, in North America to 

 Texas and N. Mexico. Replaced by other races in Spain and 

 N.W. Africa, and in central Asia. 



