¿/¿nit,/a ra d ili aurea Tk
t % )
The Golden Eagle. Aquila Fulva, feu Aurea.
Numb,.' I. ;
ITS Weight was twelve Pounds; its length from the Tip or Point of the Beak to
the End o f the Tail, three Foot and nine Inches; the Breadth, when the
Wings extended, were fix Foots the Bill was four Inches, the hooked part alone
hung down beyond the lower Chap a full Inch 5 the Point was blacker; the reft
. o f the Bill o f a Horn Colour, inclining to a cinereous or blewiih: The Tongue
was broad, round, and blunt at the Tip, towards the Root on both Sides armed with
two hooked, horned Appendices, tied down in the Middle to the lower Mandible
a , n Membrane: The Palate perforate in the Middle; the lower Chap o f the
BJU channelled; tire Edges whereof Handing up 011 both Sides are received in the
upper, '
The Membrane which arifing from the forehead, is extended beyond the Noftrik,
?nd likewile the Borders o f the Bridle or Corners o f the Mouth are yellow: The
Feathers o f the Neck are rigid and ferrugineous: A certain thick Tunicle, ftretched
forth from below upwards, covered the Eye in Nidation ; this Membrane is called in
tatin Periophthalmiim; twoEye-Lids, one above, ..the other beneath, covered the Eye,
although the lower alone, extended upwards, was'fufficient'to cover the whole Eye:
The Region o f the Eye-Brows was very eminent, like that prominent Part o f the
Roofs o f Houfes,‘ called the E.aves, under which the Eyes, lay hid, as it were funk in
a deep Cavity; the Eyes were of a fiery Splendour,1 fhining forth in a pale Blew 5 the
Pupil was o f a deep Black. It is very admirable to obferve what Care Nature hath taken,
and what Provifion lhe hath made for the Confervation o f the Eyes, than which,
there is no Part in this Animal more-excellent; for not being content with one Tegument,
as is ufual in other Animals, ihe feemeth to have framed four fev.eral Lids or
Covers for diem. The ‘Periophthalmiu.m, <x Membrane for Nidation is the fame
thing, and affords the lame ule to them that the Eye-Lids do to a Man. Befides which
Nature hath fuperadded two other Eye-Lids, and of thefe lower fo large, that they
alone fufhee to cover and preferve the Eyes. The Colour of the Wings and Tail is
dusky, and lo much the darker as the Feathers are bigger; the Colour o f the reft o f
the final! Feathers of the whole Body is a dark Ferrugineous or Chefnut Colour, mixed
here and there with a yellowifh Caft. The Legs were feathered below the Knees; the
Legs and Feet were yellowifh; the Talons very large and black; he was young and
i E i & l ^ k'cPt him in a Basket-Cage, made on purpofe for him, for fome time,
and red him with the Guts and Heads o f Fowls, the laft o f which he was very fond Hi p i , c.times a.young Gat, which he would feize with his Talons, and with
ms Beak break her Skull, killing her immediately,, after which he would divert him-
lelr with pulling off her Furr for fome time and then cat her.