WHITE-TAILED EAGLE. 
II ALIA E TUS ALBICILLA. 
It is not an uncommon occurrence for this Eagle, while in the immature stage, to make its appearance even 
in the south. 
The whole of the eyries that I am acquainted with in Great Britain arc placed in the Northern 
Highlands and on some of the adjacent islands ; this species, however, seems to be of a more roving disposition 
than its relative the Golden Eagle; and hardly a season passes without specimens being either noticed or 
captured in various parts between the Tweed and the English Channel. There arc few maritime counties, I 
believe, in England that cannot claim the Sea-Eagle as an occasional visitor ; but I have only had opportunities 
of observing it in Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Sussex. In the two latter counties I have noticed it at least half 
a dozen different times; though in not one instance could I do more than simply recognize the species, the 
distance being far too great for closer observation. 1 have also examined specimens that have been obtained in 
these districts : in every ease the birds were in the immature state, and in all probability under the age of 
twelve months. This is the plumage in which they arc frequently described in local publications as 
magnificent specimens of the Golden Ea«-le. 
Although at the present time rather beyond their usual range, I have now and then seen immature 
>irds that have taken up their quarters for a few months on the moors near the east coast of the Highlands • 
and I have also met with several in the north-west of Perthshire. In this part they arc noticed almost every 
season during autumn, winter, or spring; as they arc usually observed frequenting the ground for a few 
ays only, it is probable that they arc on their passage from one part of the country to another. While on 
a s looting-expedition in the neighbourhood I was informed by some of the keepers and gillies that years a-o 
ie woods in the ltannoeli district, especially those to the north-west of the loch, had been a favourite resort for 
lose n s. iet or they nested or not in this part my informants were unable to tell ; but two old men 
tlTnl f l ir T'*! ° CCaSi ° nS WhilG C1 ' 0SSing the COuntl ‘> r ’ about fort y or years ago, on their way from 
he nor h (travelling by the rough track from Fort William to the upper part of Glenlyon that runs along the 
cs side of Loch ltannoeli), they had seen as many as a dozen or more sitting about on the stumps of old trees 
b “ P I* « 10 T° r aS thCy PaSSGd al ° nS ‘ 1 al8 ° ktdy leamed from an old tester, a native of the 
laes of ltannoeli, that in Ins younger days he remembered having seen packs of White-tailed Eagles, numbering 
wenty and upwards, frequenting the moors from the west end of the loch on towards the county march. He 
standil o « f 6 tlmt thCy nGSted in lar ° e numbcrs in the old trees, mostly birch, that were then 
standing on the islands in the small lochs that are scattered over the country in that direction. In different 
C dist2t e iT C< T aC1 ‘° SS th ° remnantS ° f 01(1 nCStS in SUch Situati0ns - There are no residents now in 
f V , 6 ^ SCCn are P robabl y dl ' ivcn from the west coast by stress of weather to seek a 
bleafclTste imC 10m thC Wmtry WaStS ’ WhGre f °° d and shelter arc more obtained than on their own 
