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RING-TAILED EAGLE. 
Captain Lewis, are now deposited in Mr Peale’s museum, 
each of which has a number of the tail-feathers of this bird 
attached to it. The northern as well as southern Indians, 
seem to follow the like practice, as appears by the numerous 
calumets, formerly belonging to different tribes, to be seen in 
the same magnificent collection. 
Mr Pennant informs us, that the independent Tartars train 
this Eagle for the chase of hares, foxes, wolves, antelopes, &c. 
and that they esteem the feathers of the tail the best for 
pluming their arrows. The Ring-tail Eagle is characterized 
by all as a generous, spirited, and docile bird ; and various 
extraordinary incidents are related of it by different writers, 
not, however, sufficiently authenticated to deserve repeti- 
tion. The truth is, the solitary habits of the Eagle now 
before us, the vast inaccessible cliffs to which it usually retires, 
united with the scarcity of the species in those regions 
inhabited by man, all combine to render a particular know- 
ledge 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 circui- 
tous 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. Buffon observes, that, though 
other Eagles also prey upon hares, this species is a more fatal 
enemy to those timid animals, which are the constant object 
of their search, and the prey which they prefer. The Latins, 
after Pliny, termed the Eagle Valeria quasi valens viribus , 
because of its strength, which appears greater than that of the 
other Eagles in proportion to its size. 
The Ring-tail Eagle measures nearly three feet in length ; 
the bill is of a brownish horn colour ; 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 
