great wing-coverts, forms by its exposure a dark band across
the middle of the wing; the remaining portion of the secondaries
white : the tail is graduated, the feathers of the
middle being the longest; the legs and toes yellow; the
claws black. In this state it is the Norwegian Vulture and
White Vulture of Buffon ; the Asli-coloured and Alpine
Vulture of Dr. Latham.
The young bird has the base of the bill yellow, the point
black; irides reddish brown : the naked skin of the cheeks
and front of the neck livid grey; the general colour of the
plumage dark brown, with a few light-coloured feathers, and
the edges of others indicating the approach to maturity;
great quill-feathers black ; legs and toes greyish brown ;
claws black. In this state it is the Maltese Vulture of Buffon
and Latham. The representation of the .young bird at
the commencement and that of the old bird forming the vignette
below were taken from specimens in the Museum of
the Zoological Society.
RA PTORES. FALCONJDÆ.
TH E GOLDEN EAGLE.
P ennant, Brit. Zool. edit. 1812, vol. i.
p. 197.
M ontagu, Ornith. Diet.
B ewick, Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 5.
Falco chrysaëtos, Golden Eagle,