Foremost among the Eagles three species stand pre-eminent, and have been celebrated and dreaded from the most ancient times. These form the group of TRUE EAGLES, and are recognisable by their powerful bodies, large and well-shaped heads, and broad long wings, which reach to the end of the tail; in the wings the fourth quill is longer than the rest; the tail is long, and the legs strong and of moderate height; the beak is large, the upper mandible curves very decidedly from the cere downwards, and bulges outwards at its sides; the eyes, which are of great size, lie partly concealed under the projecting brows; the feet are powerful and of moderate length, the claws large, curved, and sharp. The plumage is rich and soft, and its feathers pointed, those at the back of the head and on the nape being slender and elongated; the tarsi are feathered down to the toes. Thus far we have described collectively the three species forming the family of True Eagles; but, to avoid confusion, we will now speak of the Tawny, the Golden, and the Imperial Eagles, each under its proper heading. THE TAWNY EAGLE. The TAWNY EAGLE (_Aquila fulva_), the largest, strongest, and most compactly built member of the family, is from two and three-quarters to three feet in length, and from six and two-thirds to seven feet in breadth; the wing measures from one foot two inches to two feet, and the tail thirteen or fourteen inches. The largest of these measurements applies to the female bird. When the plumage is in its full beauty, the head and back of the neck are brownish yellow, and the rest of the feathers of a uniform dark brown; the tail is white, striped, or spotted with black at its upper portion, the lower half entirely black; the hose are almost white. Naumann tells that only the two centre tail-feathers are of equal length, those towards the sides being slightly graduated. THE GOLDEN EAGLE.