42 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY-GENERAL REPORT. 
HALIAETUS, Savigny. 
Haliaetus, Savigny, Hist. Nat. d’Egypt, I, p. 85, (1809.) 
Size large ; tarsi short, naked, or feathered for a short distance below the joint of the tibia and tarsus, and with the toes 
covered with scales ; toes rather long ; claws very strong, curved, very sharp. Bill large, very strong, compressed ; margin of 
upper mandible slightly lobed ; wings long, pointed ; tail moderate. General form very robust and powerful; flight very 
rapid and long continued. 
This genus contains ten or twelve species only, inhabiting various parts of the world, all of 
which subsist more or less on fishes, and are designated fishing or sea eagles. 
HALIAETUS PELAGICUS, Pallas. 
The Northern Sea Eagle. 
Aquila pelagica, Pall. Zoog. Ross. As. I, p. 343, (1811.) 
Falco imperator, Kittlitz, Kupf. Nat. Vog. I, p. 3, (1832.) 
Falco leucopterus, Temm. PI. Col. I, (not paged.) 
Figures. —Temm. PI. Col. I, pi. 489 ; Cassin B. of Cal. and Texas 1, pi. 6. 
The largest of all the eagles. Wings rather shorter than usual in this genus; tail wedge shaped, and containing fourteen 
feathers. Adull. —Large frontal space ; greater wing coverts ; abdomen and tail white. All other parts of the plumage dark 
brown, or brownish black ; bill and legs yellow. 
Younger. —Tail white, more or less marked with brownish black ; quills black ; secondaries and tertiaries white at their bases; 
bill and feet yellow. All other parts dull brownish black, lighter on the head and neck. 
Total length, female, about 45 inches, wing 26 inches, tail 16 inches. 
Nab. —Russian American islands, (Pallas,) Japan, (Temminck & Schlegel.) Spec, in Mus. Acad., Philadelphia. 
The largest of the eagles. This enormous and powerful bird inhabits the Russian American 
islands and the coasts of the two continents at Behring’s straits, and very probably extends its 
range southward. It is strictly a fishing eagle, mainly deriving its subsistance from the sea, 
but occasionally capturing birds and quadrupeds. It is stated by Pallas to rear its young in 
northeastern Asia. 
HALIAETUS WASHINGTONII, Audubon. 
The Washington Eagle. 
Falco Washingtonii, Aud. Orn. Biog. 1, 58, (1831.) 
Falco Washingtoniana, Aud. Loudon’s Mag. I, p. 115, (1828.) 
Figures. —Aud. B. of Am. pi. 11, (published 1827,) Oct. ed. I, pi. 13. 
Rather larger than H. leucocephalus ; bill shorter, and more abruptly curved ; wings long. Entire plumage dark brown, 
mixed with dull fulvous ; quills nearly black ; tail dark brown, more or less mottled with white, especially at the base. Bill 
dark ; tarsi yellow. 
Total length about 43 inches, wing 32, tail 15 inches. “ Extent of wings 10 feet 2 inches,” (Audubon.) 
Hab. —Kentucky. Throughout North America? Spec, in Mus. Acad., Philad.? 
This eagle is stated by Mr. Audubon to have been discovered by himself in Kentucky, and a 
figure of the first, and apparently the only, specimen that ever came into his possession is given 
in his plate, cited above. In this figure the transverse scales on the front of the tarsi are repre¬ 
sented in a manner which has never been observed since in any North American eagle. These 
are continued (in the plate alluded to) without interruption to the toes—a character quite 
unusual in any rapacious bird. 
There are, however, very probably two species of white headed eagles inhabiting North 
America, one of which is, we suspect, the bird now under consideration. Tbe larger has the 
