AQU1LA CHRYSAETUS. 
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GENUS I. AQUILA. THE EAGLES. 
Gen. Ch. Posterior margin of sternum, indented with a wide, shallow scallop. Bill, strong and curved, with the cut¬ 
ting edge of upper mandible slightly lobed. Tail, considerably rounded. 
Members of this genus are very large and strong and the colors on both surfaces are generally dark with few or no con¬ 
spicuous markings. There is but one species found within our limits. 
AQUILA CHRYSAETUS. 
Golden Eagle. 
Aquila chrysaetus Linn., Syst. Nat., I; 1766, 125. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Ch. Form, very robust. Size, large. Tarsus, feathered to the toes. Sternum, stout, with the tip of keel round¬ 
ed. Bill, strong and well-curved. Sexes, similar in*color. 
Color. Adult. General color throughout, dark-brown, with a purplish tinge, lightest on the head, neck, shoulders, 
tibia, and tarsus; darkest on the wings, tail, and under portions. Feathers of head, neck, tibia, and tarsus, tipped and 
edged with deep yellowish-rufous. Base of tail, white. 
Young. Similar to the adult, but lighter everywhere and the basal two thirds of the tail is white. Iris and bill, 
brown, cere and feet, yellow, in all stages. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
There is a little variation in plumage, some specimens being darker or lighter than the type. In the transitional dress 
between the adult and young, the tail is occasionally mottled with white. The young with the wide band of white on the 
tail is the Ring-taiied Eagle of the older authors. This species may be recognized by the large size, wholly feathered tar¬ 
sus, and colors as described. Distributed, as a constant resident, throughout the mountainous portions of North America. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of female specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 3745; stretch, 85'00; wing, 24 - 00; 
tail, 1.V00; bill, 1*65; tarsus, 4'52. Longest specimen, 38'60; greatest extent of wing, 86‘50; longest wing, 25 00; tail, 16'00; 
bill, 175; tarsus, 4 - 60. Shortest specimen, 36*25: smallest extentof wing, 84'25; shortest wing, 23'00; tail, 14'00; bill, 150; 
tarsus, 4'00. 
Average measurements of male specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 32’50; stretch, 83'00; wing, 2175; 
tail, 13 00; bill, P55; tarsus, 375. Longest specimen, 35 - 00; greatest extent of wing, 84’00; longest wing, 2350; tail, 14'00; 
bill, P65; tarsus, 4‘00. Shortest specimen, 30’00; smallest extent of wing, 82 - C0; shortest wing, 20'50; tail, 12 00; bill, 
1*40; tarsus, 3 - 50. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on rocky shelves of steep cliffs. They are bulky structures, composed of sticks and twigs, arranged in a 
compact manner. 
Eggs, one, two, or three, in number, varying from elliptical to spherical in form, dirty-white or creamy in color, oc¬ 
casionally immaculate, but usually spotted and blotched with pale reddish-brown to which is sometimes added a faint tinge 
of purplish. Dimensions, from 2'18x2'65 to 2’52x3’30. 
HABITS. 
There are few birds of a large size upon which the settlement of the country has had 
so little effect as upon the Golden Eagles. As a rule, the inroads of civilization cause a 
perceptible decrease in the numbers of rapacious birds but this is true only to a very limited 
extent with the species now under consideration; indeed, it may be questioned if there are 
less Golden Eagles today in Eastern North America than there were when the Pilgrims 
landed at Plymouth. Nor has their distribution changed much, if any, for they have ever 
inhabited almost inaccessible mountain cliffs. They seldom leave their rocky fastnesses 
and when they do move from point to point, it is at a great elevation; and in addition to 
this, when we consider that there are few birds in the world, which are more wary, we can 
