New Name for the Genus Proteus. 165 



that the young birds must have vacated the nest some time 

 before. It is added, — "Our guide had passed this place, 

 early in February, at which time both the male and female 

 were making a great noise about the nest; and from what 

 we afterwards learned, it is highly probable it contained 

 young, even at that early time of the season." In the Fau- 

 na Boreali- Americana, (part 2, p. 15), Dr. Richardson re- 

 marks of this eagle, — "It is known to breed as far south 

 as Virginia, but its nests do not appear to be so common 

 within any part of the United States, as they are in the 

 fur countries." 



In the following note there is, at the same time, proof 

 that the bald eagle builds at the early period presumed by 

 Wilson, and that during the season of incubation, it is 

 found much farther to the south than is mentioned in the 

 latter work. During a tour made by my friend, Richard 

 Langtry Esq. (of Fort William, near Belfast), through the 

 United States, in 1836, he, in the middle of January, ob- 

 served a pair of these birds flying about a nest, which was 

 in the top of a gigantic pitch pine, that stood a little re- 

 mote from other trees, on the bank of Fish River, Mobile 

 Bay. On the 6th of February he returned to the place, 

 in the hope of procuring a young bird alive ; but as the 

 nest was inaccessible, recourse was had to the axe, and, 

 with the tree, it came to the ground, together with one 

 young bird, which was killed by the fall. The eaglet was 

 covered with down, interspersed with a few feathers. The 

 nest was rather flat, and composed of sticks ; it contained 

 the heads and bones of mullet, and two heads of the grey 

 pelican. The parent birds were in great consternation dur- 

 ing the felling of the pine, and to the last moment conti- 

 nued flying clamorously about the nest. Mr. Langley was 

 informed that two or three pairs of bald eagles build here 

 annually about Mobile Bay, and had their nests pointed 

 out to him. — Id. 



Remarks on ' Viator's'* proposed new name for the In- 

 fusorian Genus, Proteus. (Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. ii. p. 53). 

 — Your correspondent ' Viator' states as a well-known ride, 

 "that not more than one genus in Zoology, or one in Bo- 

 tany, or one in any other of the like Sciences, should re- 

 ceive the same name." It is not very clear from the above 

 words, whether 'Viator' objects to the employment of du- 

 plicate terms in different sciences, or merely to the repe- 

 tition of a generic term in the same science ; — or in other 

 words, whether he has the same objection to the double 

 emploi of the term Posidonia, (e. g.) in Botany and Zoo- 



