148 
EAGLE. 
Orn. 1. p. 12. 7. — Rail, Syn. p. 7. 3. — Will. p. 29. t. 1. — Muller, No. 60. — 
Falco Melanaeetus, Gmel. p. 254. sp. 2 Lath. Jnd. Orn. 1. p. 10. 3. — Linn. 1. 
p. 124. 2. — Raii, Syn. p. 7. 4. — Will. p. 30. t. 2. — Briss. 1. p. 434. 8. — Aquila 
Ossifraga, Briss. 1. 437.9 — L’Orfraie, ou Grand Aigle de Mer, Bujf. 1. p. 112. 
t. 3. — Ib. pi. Enl. 112. yearling Bird. — lb. 415. the figure of one from two to 
three years old — Sea Eagle, Br. Zool. 1. No, 44. t. 17. — Ib. fol. t. 63. — Zool. 
2. No. 86. A. — Will. (Angl.) p. 59. t. l.^Lai/?. Syn. 1. p. 30. — Ib. Supp. p. 
9 Le icin’ s Br. Birds, 1. t. 1 Mont. Orn. Diet. — Ib. Supp Wale. Syn. 1. 
t. 2. — Shaw’s Zool. 7. p. 81. — Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 2 Don. Br. Birds, t. 105. 
— Low’s Faun. Oread, p. 32. — Bewick’s Br. Birds’ 1. p. l\.— Selby , pi. 3. and 
3* p. 9. 
PTovincial . — Erne. White-Tailed Eag-le. 
The identity,” says Selby, “ of the Cinereous and Sea Eagle is now 
so satisfactorily established, that I have, -without any hesitation, brought 
the synonimes hitherto assigned to the two supposed species under the 
same head. To many it may appear singular that this fact should only 
now be fully ascertained ; but when we consider the great impediments 
to the investigation of the natural history of these birds, arising from 
the wild and mountainous districts they inhabit, the difficulty of pro- 
curing specimens, and the few opportunities afforded, therefore, of 
watching the progress of the young bird to maturity ; the slow advance 
of our knowledge in regard to this, as well as other facts connected 
with this branch of science, will rather be a matter of regret than 
surprise. Many of our ornithological works also can only be regarded 
as compilations from the essays of earlier authors, in which the errors, 
arising from such deficiency of information as must naturally attend the 
infancy of a new pursuit, may be expected ; and which errors have 
too often, without any attempt at further scrutiny, been faithfully 
transcribed. 
‘‘ The similarity in habits and manners, as well as in essential specific 
characters, between the Cinereous and Sea Eagle, first led me to sup- 
pose that they were of the same species, and that the difference of 
plumage might only proceed from the respective ages of the individuals, 
as appears in many other instances. An opportunity having occurred of 
watching the progress of the young Sea Eagle from its earliest age, I 
eagerly availed myself of it, and witnessed the gradual and interesting 
changes it underwent, till it had finally acquired the plumage of the 
adult, or Cinereous Eagle. During this process, I was happy to find 
that my supposition had been anticipated, and the fact ascertained both 
by M. Cuvier, and by M. Temminck.”* 
This species is rather less than the Golden Eagle. The bill, cere, 
and irides, of a pale yellow ; a bare space between the bill and eye of a 
bluish colour ; the head and neck of a pale ash-colour ; the body and 
wing coverts cinereous, clouded with brown ; the quills dusky ; tail 
