BIRD OF WASHINGTON.
ton, that by a superficial observer they might be confounded, at least
were he to view them separately.
The White-tailed or Cinereous Eagle (Falco Albicilla of LINN.EUS),
has, when full grown, the bill and iris yellow, the general colour of the
upper parts pale greyish-brown, passing into wood-brown, the belly and
thighs chocolate-brown, some of the upper tail-coverts, and the whole of
the tail, white. In this state, it is sufficiently different from our bird, at
least in colouring, but the young has a different appearance. In the
bird just fully fledged, the bill is deep brown, tinged with blue, its
base and the cere greenish-yellow; the iris dark brown ; the feet gambogeyellow
; the head deep brown, the bases of all the feathers of the body
white; on the hind neck the whole feathers white, excepting the ends
which are deep brown; the upper and middle back light brown, the tips
umber; the lower back white, with umber tips; the tail greyish at its origin,
deep brown, with an irregular brownish-white patch along the inner
webs, the fore-neck and upper breast brownish-white, spotted with umber,
the tips being of the latter colour; the belly pale brown, spotted with
umber; the thighs brown ; the under tail-coverts whitish, tipped with
deep brown. In tins state, and until nearly full grown, it has been described
as a distinct species, under the name of Sea Eagle or Osprey
(Falco Ossifragus, LINN.).
The principal changes which take place in regard to colour as the
bird advances, are these: the bill first becomes bluish-black, and ultimately
yellow, the cere becomes brighter, the iris assumes more of yellow,
the white at the base of the plumage gradually disappears, the tail becomes
lighter, the general colour of the plumage at first darker, but ultimately
paler. At the age of two years, the only period when the bird
much resembles ours, it is as follows:—and here I shall make the description
correspond in its arrangement with that of the Bird of Washington,
that the two may be more satisfactorily compared.
The bill corresponds with that of our bird, only that it is not so
deep, and proportionally more elongated. The other circumstances mentioned
in the first paragraph of the description of the Bird of Washington
are the same in the Sea Eagle.
Plumage compact, imbricated, glossy ; feathers of the head, neck and
breast, narrow and pointed ; of the back, breast and belly, ovate, distinct,
acute ; the wing-coverts ovate and pointed. Space between the beak and
eye barish, being sparsely covered with bristly feathers. Eyebrow pro-
BIRD OF WASHINGTON. 65
jecting and bare on the edge. Wings long, fourth and fifth quills
longest, the first considerably shorter. Tail of ordinary length, rounded,
of the same length as the closed wing, and consisting of twelve broad
acute feathers. Tarsus feathered one-third down.
Bill bluish-black, brownish at the tip of the upper mandible, and
along the greater part of the under; yellowish at the edges of the lower.
Cere greenish-yellow. Lore of the same colour. Iris darkish brown.
Head and hind neck dark brown, the latter still marked with white.
Fore neck and breast brownish white, longitudinally marked with deep
brown. Upper parts in general pale brown, spotted with deeper, some of
the scapulars glossed with purple. Lower back white, the tips umber.
Tail-coverts brownish-grey. Base, outer webs and tips of tail-feathers
deep brown ; inner webs and part of outer near the tip brownisli-white.
Belly pale brown spotted with umber. Primaries brownish-black, secondaries
greyish-brown.
Length 3 feet, extent of wings 6 feet 9 inches; bill 3£ inches along
the back, 1£ deep.
All circumstances duly considered, the Bird of Washington stands
forth as the champion of America, sui speciei, and henceforth not to be
confounded with any of its rivals or relatives. If ornithologists are
proud of describing new species, I may be allowed to express some
degree of pleasure in giving to the world the knowledge of so majestic,
a bird.
E