FALCONING. HALIAETUS. 
41 
GENUS IV. HALIAETUS. SEA-EAGLE. 
Bill nearly as long as the head, very high, gradually 
compressed toward the end, with the upper outline nearly 
straight to the edge of the cere, the sides flattish and nearly 
erect ; upper mandible with the edges slightly festooned, the 
tip elongated, trigonal, decurved, acute ; lower mandible 
scarcely a third of the height of the upper, with the angle 
long and of moderate width, the dorsal line nearly straight, 
the tip rounded. Mouth wide ; tongue fleshy, deeply emar- 
ginate and papillate at the base, concave above, with the 
sides nearly parallel, the tip rounded ; oesophagus very wide, 
with a very large crop ; proventriculus wide ; stomach large, 
roundish, with its muscular coat thin ; intestine very long 
and narrow, duodenum extremely elongated, and disposed 
into a coil of several folds ; coeca very small ; cloaca very 
large and globular. Nostrils oblong, oblique. Eyes large, 
with projecting superciliary ridges. Aperture of ear rather 
large and roundish. Head large, roundish-ovate ; neck of 
moderate length; body robust. Feet short, very strong; 
tarsus very short, feathered half-way down, then scaly, with 
anterior and posterior scutella ; toes very stout, scutellate 
toward the end, the first and second strongest, and about 
equal, the fourth a little longer than the second, the third 
much longer ; claws very large, well curved, flattened on the 
sides, concave beneath, acute, the first and second largest. 
Plumage compact and full. Wings very long, broad, rounded, 
the first a little shorter than the seventh, the third and 
fourth longest ; the first five with the inner web abruptly 
cut out. Tail of moderate length, broad, rounded, extending 
considerably beyond the wings. 
The Sea-Eagles are birds of large size, but less bold and 
vigorous than the Eagles properly so called. Fish forms a 
great portion of their food. They also feed on carrion, and 
occasionally attack living animals, sometimes even those of 
considerable size. They sail in circles, ascending to a vast 
height, and in habits generally difier little from the Eagles. 
6. Haliaetus Albicilla. White-Tailed Sea-Eagle. 
Adult with the bill, feet, and irides yellow ; the plumage 
