“ This last character distinguishes them at once from their nearest allies—the sea-eagles of the genus Haliaëtus. Nine species of true eagles are well distinguished, although in this, as in allied genera, much confusion has arisen from the diversity of plumage at different ages. Only one of them occurs in North America. This is the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaëtus) , of which the ‘ring-tailed’ eagle is the young. It is 30 to 35 inches in length, and 61⁄2 to 7 feet in spread of wing; the female is rather larger than the male. ”

“ Crested and Other Eagles. Members of several allied genera are usually called eagles. A remarkable one is the ‘bataleur’ (Helotarsus ecaudatus) of Africa, whose plumage is most strikingly variegated with maroon, black, and gray, and whose head is covered with large upstanding feathers; its food is mainly snakes and lizards. The buzzard and harrier eagles of the genera Batastur and Circaëtus, whose several species are African and South Asiatic, are also fond of a reptilian diet; while an Oriental genus (Spilornis) of large handsome birds are usually called by natives ‘serpent eagles’ (q.v.) ”

“ A great quantity of food is required to support a pair of these birds and their two or three young ones; and not only hares, game of every kind, and lambs are carried to the eyrie, but larger animals are sometimes attacked. ”

“ True eagles have the beak not curved from the very base, like the true falcons, nor notched on the edge; neither are their wings so long in proportion to their size; their legs are very robust, their claws curved, sharp, and strong. ”

“ The color is dark brown, in some parts almost black; the head and back of the neck in mature birds covered with pointed feathers of a golden-red color; young birds have a considerable part of the tail white ”