HALÎAËTUS ALBIC IL LA .
HALIAËTUS ALBICILLA.
Sea-Eag'le.
Aquila lilbicüla, Bris6. Orn., tom. i. p. 427.
—■—— imtrifraga, Bii'iss. Orn., tom. i. p. 437.
Vullvr \tlbicilla, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 123.
Fako àirifragus, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 124.
— albicilla, Giriel. edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 253.
— n elmotus, I<j . ib. id., p. 264.
— a’bicaudus, I||. ib. id., p. 258.
— p'igargus, Daud. Traité d’Orn., tom. ii. p. 62.
Halidèbts albicilla, iCuv Règne Atiim., éd. i. p. 315.
O f the two great KaglesMhich inhabit the British Islands, the Haliaétus albiciUa is now by far the most
numerous, whatever may have been the case in former times. Unlike the Aquila chrysaètos, which affects
forests ai d inland mountain districts, the Sea-Eagle resorts to the rocky shores of “ sea-girt Albion,” from
which it rarely departs, except to take possession of an island in some Highland loch, where it may obtain an
abundant! supply of ibod, and rear its young without fear o f molestation. At the present time it is mostly to
be met with on the north-western shores of Scotland and Ireland ; examples are, however, occasionally shot in
n e a r l y e W r y English county, from Cornwall to the Scottish border ; but these are mostly immature birds, and
very few, I believe, have ever been killed with the pure white tail and yellow bill characteristic of the adult.
Eastward of Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and Western Siberia are countries in which
it takes -up its abode. It evidently affects more northern climes than the Golden Eagle ; for we have no
evidence that it eve* crosses the Mediterranean, o r proceeds far in the direction of the tropics.
The Mbits of t|»is Eagle clearly indicate that it is especially adapted for feeding upon fish, both
living and dead ; liut although this may be the staple, its diet would seem to be somewhat varied,
for it will readily eat carrion of all kinds, and will doubtless occasionally fall upon a lamb or a
mountain-iiare, gout«, cormorant,. guillemot, o r any other rock-breeding birds. The following very
characteristic note on this part of the bird’s economy has been obligingly forwarded to me by
H. Osborre, Ju n ., fjsq., o f Wick:—
“ An observer, who carefully watched this depredator while beating the margin of a loch, not far from the
edge o f the rock, saw him slip over the precipice and shoot along about halfway between the top of the cliff
and the se«». Hardly had he made his appearance when a rush o f birds seawards took place. Everything
that could fly left thè rocks ; and the terror and confusion that ensued was remarkable. This continued
during the whole course of his flight ; ami his appearance was the signal for a hurrying o f the scared masses
out o f the reach o f ditnger. So numerous and so very much frightened were the birds, that the progress of
the Eagle could be iraccd, long after he himself was invisible, by the strings of sea-fowl, o f various kinds,
that persistently continued to seek safety in flight. It was long before gull and guillemot got over their
fright, and matters assumed ‘ the even tenor o f their way.
Mr. Stevfnson, o f Norwich, who has carefully noted the occurrence,of this species in Norfolk, says,
“ Specimens, in imrnunre plumage, occur on this coast almost every autnmn or winter; but the adult
bird, with ;! white bid, has never been taken in this county. Two females and one male were shot in
different »aits during the winter of 1855-56 ; and in the following winter of 1856-57, between November
id I - - . t h r e e rttore were obtained on the coast. Two of the latter were killed a t Winterton, near
Y montW a favourite! h ality, and nearly a t the same spot. Since that date others have been seen, and in
some <■ killed. Horning in 1859, Holkham in 1860, and at Westwick in 1862. I have not heard
f any ù - ■ -I the tuihl » in te r of 1802-63.” T h a t it occurs as far west as Cornwall is certain, since Mr. Rodd
states in bir- * List o f f e r a h b Birds,’ th at it is sometimes seen on the sea-coast o f that county.
Scotland wherein Mr. Wolley obtained eggs o f this species, as recorded in the
n
■ Ootheca Wjflcviiiiu,' lire Vgvll. Sntherh
rland, and Caithness : the bird also breeds in the Orkneys, Shetland,
, I W od» Mr Tb.nntwon states that, in Ireland, it frequents all situations ■ nuu “• Cow:«» * which are similar to
those it inh-'k in fjroffwH: it also occurs in Iceland, is very common in Greenland, aim. i neneve, in
Labrador.
“ The Sea Ifenartr is- Imv* on the wing ; and as he gradually mounts in wide curves, sailing at intervals, you
cannot fail to « a » o» l>'«' with th iieht With Iti* feet concealed among the feathers of the abdomen, hi*
head drawn c lt~ to >'« shoulders, and his magnificent wings spread out to their full extent, a
seeming to curve i.puprd. a. the points, he sweep* along the side* of the hill*, advancing with apparently