brown for one-third of their length, and the others have an intermediate quantity. The brown
does not join the white in an even line across the tail, as in Wilson’s figure, but runs into a
peak along the shafts of the more exterior feathers; while in the central ones the reverse is
the case, the white being prolonged, on the shaft, into the brown. There are some white
feathers about the vent. Bill soiled bluish-grey. Cere yellow. Iris hair-brown. Feet
yellowish. Claws black. ,
F orm, & c.—The till, strong and much hooked at the point, is compressed, with its sides
inclined so as to produce a narrow, but not acute, ridge. There is a very obtuse lobe on the
cutting margin of the mandible, posterior to the commencement of the hook. The nostrils
are small, of an oval form, and have a transverse direction. The space between the orbit and
nostrils is covered with black hairs arranged in a radiated manner. The eyebrow is prominent
and the crown of the head flattened. The wings are shorter than the tail. The fifth quill
feather is the longest; the fourth nearly equals it; the third is equal to the sixth ; the second
is intermediate between the sixth and seventh; and the first is a little longer than the eighth,
but considerably shorter than the~seventh* The first six have their inner webs suddenly, and
their outer webs, with the exception of the first, obliquely sinuated. In the first feather the sinu-
ation commences near the base, but in each succeeding one it is nearer the point, being, in the
fourth, about the middle, and in the sixth near the tip. The tail is rounded. The tarsi are
short and strong, and are closely covered to the root of the toes with short brownish-white feathers
: the outer thigh feathers hang down to the soles of the feet. The toes are short, strong,
and are protected above by three transverse large scales adjoining the claws, their bases being
reticulated with small scales. The middle toe is the longest; the lateral ones are equal to
each other and a little longer than the hind toe, which is the most robust. A short web connects
the middle and outer toes. The claws are strong, much curved, grooved beneath, and
sharp-pointed : the middle one has a deep, sharp-edged furrow on its inner side. The hind
claw and the inner one are much larger than the other two.
Dimensions
Of the specimen before it was set up.
Length from point of the bill to the end of
the tail . . . . . 42
Extent between the tips of the wings . 66
Length of the tail . . . •
„ longest quill feather . . 22
„ bill from the angle of the
mouth « . . . • • "
00
0
8
Inches.
Length of the bill along the curve of its
ridge . . . . . . 2
n tarsus . . . . 4
„ middle toe . . • 3
n hind claw . . . 2
ditto, following its curvature 3
,, middle claw . . 1
305 5 06
The mature British F. chrysaetos has a dark blackish-brown tail and wings,
blackish-brown back, clouded with brownish-black, and a paler and brighter brown
head. I have not seen an American one in this state.
* As might be expected in immature birds, differences in the relative lengths of the quill feathers are observable in
the Ring-tailed Eagles. In a specimen from the Rocky Mountains, in the Hudson’s Bay Museum, the fourth quill
feather is the longest, and the third and fifth nearly equal it, the remainder having the proportions of those mentioned
in the text.
[5.] 2. Aquila (Halmetus) leucocephala. Bald Eagle.
Ge n u s . Aquila, A n t iq .uob.u m . Sub-genus. Haliastus. Sa v ig n y .
White-tailed Eagle. (Aquila cauda-alba.) E dw a rd s, pi. 1.
White-headed Eagle. P e n n * Arct. Zool., ii., p. 196, No. 89. Mature.
Falco leucocephalus. L a t h . Ind., i., p. 11, sp. 5. Mature.
White-headed or Bald Eagle. (Falco leucocephalus.) W il s o n , iv., p. 89, pi. 36. Adult.
Sea Eagle. (Falco ossifragus.) I d e m , vii., p. 16, pi. 55, f. 2. Young.
• Falco leucocephalus. T em m ., i., p. 25. B u o n a p . Syn., p. 26.
Meekeeshew. (Name for the species.) Cr.e e I n d ia n s .
Wapustiquan-Meekeeshew. (White-headed E.) Id e m . M ature bird.
Appisk-Meekeeshew. (Black-headed E.) Idem. Immature.
Meekeeseeseesh. Idem. Yearling birds.
Eagle, No. 23. H u d so n ’s B ay M u s e u m . Old bird.
Eagle, No. 29. Loco c it a t o . Young.
This vigorous and rapacious bird is the earliest of the summer visitors to the
fur countries, and the period of its arrival has given the name of Meekeeshew
eepeeshim, or Eagle moon, to the month of March. Temminck assigns for its
habitual residence the regions within the Arctic Circle, and Wilson observes that it
is found at all seasons in the countries it inhabits. Both these assertions, however,
require, I apprehend, to be taken with considerable latitude. We did not, on
the late expeditions, meet with it to the north of the Great Slave Lake (latitude
62° N.), although it is common, in the summer, in the country extending from
thence to Lake Superior, and its breeding-places in thelatter district are numerous.
But in the month of October, when the rivers from which it draws its
principal supply of food are frozen over, it entirely quits the Hudson’s Bay lands;
and if after that period it is to be seen in the northern regions, it can only be
on the sea-coast and for a limited time while the sea continues unfrozen. It
resides all the year in the United States, frequenting their whole extent of sea-
coast and the shores of the large lakes and rivers; and it is known to breed as far
south as Virginia, but its nests do not appear to be so common within any part
of the United States as they are in the fur countries.
The favourite food of this bird is fish, caught alive; but it preys also on birds
and the smaller quadrupeds; nor does it disdain at times to feed on carrion; and
it has been known to attack a Vulture in the air, and, having caused it to disgorge
* Pennant, in his account of the Black Eagle of America, does not appear to have clearly distinguished between the
Golden and Bald Eagles, and it is probable that his Black-cheeked Eagle may be referred also to the Bald Eagle. But
the task of clearing away tbe.difficulties attending these and many other synonymes that have reference to this bird
seems to be as profitless as it is hopeless. Latham mentions the same species under the names of F . Americanus and
melance'elus.