40 THE BALD, OR WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 



venience whatever from the array of prickly spines. The same bird used to spend much of its 

 time in trying to eat a tortoise, a proceeding which the tortoise treated with perfect equa- 

 nimity. The whole story of this bird is rather a curious one, but would occupy too much space 

 in a work of this character. 



It is a fierce and determined bird, having a strange look of lowering self-will in its eyes. 

 When wounded, it fights most fiercely ; and even when disabled by a broken wing, it has been 

 known to strike so sharply with the sound wing, that the utmost exertions of two men were 

 required before it could be subdued and bound. 



As it is rather an unpleasant neighbor to the farmer, the poultry -keeper, or the sheep- 

 owner, it is much persecuted, and many ingenious traps are constructed for its destruction. 

 In Norway a small conical hut is built, having the roof open, and a piece of stick, to which is 

 attached a bait, laid across the aperture. Inside the little hut sits a man, looking out for the 

 Eagle. As soon as the bird sees the bait, which is generally a rabbit, or some such dead ani- 

 mal, it sweeps down and alights upon the stick. The moment that it settles, it is grasped by 

 the concealed inhabitant of the hut, who jerks it through the opening into the little edifice. 

 Owing to the conical shape of the hut, the bird is iinable to use its wings, which are its best 

 weapons, and is, therefore, soon mastered and destroyed. 



The nest of this species is constructed after the fashion of the Eagle tribe, and is made of 

 a large mass of sticks, put together in a very inartificial manner. Unlike the generality of the 

 Eagles, it does not return year after year to the same spot, but is of a more roving nature, 

 leaving its young in possession of the dwelling-places, and going farther afield in search of 

 some new hunting-ground. The Golden Eagle acts in a precisely opposite manner ; for as 

 soon as the young Eagles are able to shift for themselves, their parents drive them from the 

 locality, and will not permit them to come within a considerable distance of the spot where 

 they were hatched. 



The head of the Sea Eagle is covered with long drooping feathers, each feather being ashy 

 brown, and darker at its centre than at the edges. The rest of the body is dark brown, with 

 here and there a lighter spot or streak, the primaries being nearly black. The tail is rounded, 

 and of a pure white color in the adult Eagle, and brown in the immature bird. The legs, toes, 

 beak, and cere are yellow, and the claws black. The generic name, Haliaetus, is of Greek 

 origin, and signifies Sea Eagles. 



The Cinereous Sea Eagle (Haliaetus albicilla) is common to the northern portions of 

 both continents. Nine species of this genus are known, two only being common to this coun- 

 try, the present species and the White-headed Eagle. Since the first edition of "Wood's 

 Natural History" was published, this bird has been identified as a frequent visitor in North 

 America. The habits of these Sea Eagles differ from those of the Old World ; they feed 

 mostly on fish, which is filched from the osprey whenever he is present. 



THE noble bird which is represented in the accompanying illustration is celebrated as 

 being the type which has been chosen by the Americans as the emblem of their nation. 



The name of BALD, or WHITE-HEADED EAGLE, has been applied to this bird on account 

 of the snowy white color of the head and neck, a peculiarity which renders it a most conspic- 

 uous bird when at large in its native land. The remainder of the body is a deep chocolate 

 brown, inclining to black along the back. The tail and upper tail coverts are of the same 

 white hue as the head and neck. In its earlier stages of existence the creature is of more 

 sombre tints, not obtaining the beautifully white head and tail until it is four full years 

 of age. 



The nest of the Bald Eagle is generally made upon some lofty tree, and in the course of 

 years becomes of very great size, as the bird is in the habit of laying her eggs year after year 

 in the same nest, and making additions of fresh building-materials at every fresh breeding- 

 season. She commences this task at a very early period of the year, depositing her eggs in 

 January, and hatching her young by the middle of February. This statement is made by 

 Wilson, and is corroborated by the following incident, which is narrated in a note to Thomp- 

 son's "Birds of Ireland": "During a tour made by Richard Langtrey, Esq., of Fort 



