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6.White-tailed Eagles in Scotland, early 19th century
“The general question concerning Eagles in Scotland may now be squeezed into very small compass. Exclusive of the true Osprey, (Falco Haliteetus,) which is rather a large fishing hawk than an eagle, there are only two kinds, viz.— the Golden Eagle, (F. Chrysaetos) and the White tailed, or Cinereous Eagle, (F. Albicilla.) The other two nominal species are disposed of in the following manner: First, the Ring-tailed Eagle, (F. Fulvus) is the young of the Golden Eagle, being distinguished in early life by having the basal and central portion of the tail white, which colour disappears as the bird attains the adult state. Second, the Sea Eagle, (F. Oasifragus) commonly so called, is the young of the White-tailed Eagle abovenamed, from which it differs in having a brown tail; for in this species the white of the tail becomes every year more apparent, as the bird encreases in age, whereas, in the Golden Eagle, the white altogether disappears in tho adult. It is to the Ring-tailed Eagle, and, by consequence, to the Golden Eagle, that the name of Black Eagle is applied in the Highlands.
The White-tailed, or Sea Eagle, as it becomes old, attains, in addition to the pure tail, a pale or bleached appearance, from which it may merit and obtain the name of Grey or Silver Eagle, as Sir Humphry Davy chooses to call it; but it is not known, among naturalists, by that name. There is no other species, however, to which the name can apply; and, therefore, Sir Humphry has committed the very gross mistake of calling the Grey or Silver Eagle (to use his own nomenclature) a very rare Eagle, since it is the most common of all the Scotch, and also—a fortiori—of all the English Eagles—being in fact the Sea Eagle of the Highlands. It preys often on fish dead or alive; but not exclusively, as it also attacks young lambs, and drives off the ravens from carrion prey, being less fastidious in its diet than the Golden Eagle, which probably kills its own meat— and has been known to carry off children; for a striking account of one of which hay-field robberies, see our splendid reviewofSelby's Ornithology.
As to its driving off its young, its habits are probably similar in this respect to other birds of prey, none of which appear to keep together in families after the young can shift for themselves; but we have never met with any one who has seen them in the act of driving. It is stated vaguely, in all books, of all eagles.
As to its requiring a. large range to feed in—we have only to remark, that, from the powerful flight of these birds, and the wild and barren nature of the countries which they inhabit, there can be no doubt that they fly far, and " prey in distant isles"—as Thomson has it; but Halieus needed not to have stated this circumstance as a character of this peculiar eagle,— for an eagle with a small range does not exist; and therefore it is to be presumed that they require a large one.
Farther, all this being the case, there seems to be no necessity for the old eagles giving themselves the trouble to drive off the young ones, who by natural instinct will fly off of their own accord, as soon as their wings can bear them over the sea. If an eagle were so partial to his native vale, as never, on any account, hungry or thirsty, drunk or sober, to venture into the next parish, why then, the old people would be forced, on the old principle of self-preservation, to pack off their progeny to bed and board beyond Benevis. But an Eagle is a Citizen of the World. He is friendly to the views of Mr Huskisson on the Wool Trade, the Fisheries and the Colonies—andacts upon the old adage,
" Every bird for himself, and God for us all !"
To conclude, for the present, this branch of our subject, we beg leave humbly to express our belief, that Sir Humphry Davy never saw the Eagle by him called the Grey or Silver, hunting for fish in the style described in Salmonia. It does not dislike -fish— but it is not its nature to keep hunting for them so, not in the Highlands at least, whatever it may do in American continents or isles. Sir Humphry talks of the bird dashing down repeatedly upon a pool within shot of the anglers. We have angled fifty times in the Highlands for Sir Humphry's once, but never saw nor heard of such a sight. He has read of such things, and introduced them into this dialogue for the sake of effect—all quite right to do—had his reading lain among trust - worthy Ornithologists. The common Eagle—which he ignorantly, as we have seen, calls so rare—is a shy bird, as all shepherds know—and is seldom within range of the rifle.”
Blackwood's magazine, Vol. XXIV, July-December 1828, page 263. Edinburgh, 1828
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Contains illustrations.