48 
RING-TAIL EAGLE. 
particular knowledge of its manners very difficult to be obtained. The 
author has, once or twice, observed this bird sailing along the alpine 
declivities of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, early in October, 
and again, over the Highlands of Hudson's river, not far from West 
Point. Its flight was easy, in high circuitous sweeps, its broad white 
tail, tipped with brown, expanded like a fan. Near the settlements on 
Hudson's Bay it is more common ; and is said to prey on hares, and 
the various species of Grouse which abound there. Buifon observes, 
that though other Eagles also prey upon hares, this species is a more 
fatal enemy to those timid animals, wliich arc the constant object of 
their search, and the prey which they prefer. The Latins, after Pliny, 
termed the Eagle Valeria, quasi valcns viribus, because of its strength, 
which appears greater than that of the other Eagles in proportion to its 
size. 
The Eing-tail Eagle measures nearly three feet in length ; the bill is 
of a brownish horn color ; the cere, sides of the mouth and feet yellow ; 
iris of the eye reddish hazel, the eye turned considerably forwards ; 
eyebrow remarkably prominent, projecting over the eye, and giving a 
peculiar sternness to the aspect of the bird ; the crown is flat ; the 
plumage of the head, throat and neck, lotjg and pointed ; that on the 
upper part of the head and neck very pale ferruginous ; fore part of 
the crown black ; all the pointed feathers are shafted with black ; whole 
upper parts dark blackish broAvn ; Avings black ; tail rounded, long, of 
a white or pale cream color minutely sprinkled with specks of ash and 
dusky, and ending in a broad band of deep dark brown, of nearly one- 
third its length ; chin, cheeks and throat, black ; whole lower parts a 
deep dark brown, except the vent and inside of the thighs, which are 
white, stained with brown ; legs thickly covered to the feet with brownish 
white down or feathers ; claws black, very large, sharp and formidable, 
the hind one full two inches long. 
The Eing-tail Eagle is found in Russia, Switzerland, Germany, 
France, Scotland, and the northern parts of America. As Marco Polo, 
in his description of the customs of the Tartars, seems to allude to this 
species, it may be said to inhabit the whole circuit of the arctic regions 
of the globe. The Golden Eagle, on the contrary, is said to be found 
only in the more warm and temperate countries of the ancient con- 
tinent.* Later discoveries, however, have ascertained it to be also an 
inhabitant of the United States.f 
* Buffon, vol, i., p. 56, Trans. 
t Naturalists being now of opinion that the Ring-tail Eagle and the Golden Eagle 
are the same, we add the following synonymes : — Yelloio-headed Eagle, Arct. Zool. 
No. 86. D.— Golden Eagle, Lath. Syn. 1, 31, No. b.—Pl. Enl. 410.— Falco fulvus, 
Ind. Ot n. I., No. 4 ; F. chrysaelos, Id. No. 8 ; F. melanonotus, Id. No. 26 ; F. 
melanceelus, Id. No. 3. — Aigle royal, Temm. Man. d' Orn. i., p. 38. 
