GOLDEN EAGLE. 21 



scarcely be considered common anywhere in the eastern United States 

 and in most sections is very rare, but in some parts of the West it is 

 fairly abundant. The mountains and rocky hills are its chosen abode, 

 whence it issues on its foraj^s; and it is just as much at home in the 

 desert as in well-watered regions. It has a strong, well-sustained 

 flight, and may often be seen soaring in circles at great height above 

 the earth. It is usually wary, and is rather a solitary bird, seldom 

 seen in more than pairs, though on some occasions it has been 

 observed m small flocks, even in the eastern United States. Its 

 cry is a sharp, harsh scream of few notes, and is heard most often 

 during the breeding season. So far as known it mates for life, or at 

 least for many years, though at the death of either of the pair, the 

 other more or less promptly secures a new consort. In nature it is 

 fierce and untamable, and it will sometimes attack even man, par- 

 ticularly if disturbed when feeding. In captivity it may easily be 

 kept for years, but with disposition quite* unchanged. 



The golden eagle builds its nest usually on rocky cliffs, sometimes 

 on steep river bluffs, often in practically inaccessible places; but in 

 many localities, such as the Pacific coast region of the United States, 

 trees are utilized, the height from the ground varying' from 10 to 

 over 100 feet. The site chosen is preferably in an uninhabited spot, 

 but occasionally not far from a farmhouse. In the latitude of cen- 

 tral California the eggs are deposited late in February, in March or 

 April, but in Arizona sometimes in January, and along the northern 

 part of the bird's range as late as May or even June. The same nest 

 is occupied year after year, provided the bird be undisturbed, but if 

 the eggs be taken, breeding is ordinarily abandoned until the follow- 

 ing season, when a new nest is constructed near by, sometimes even 

 on the same tree; and the bird, if again molested, reoccupies the 

 original aery. 



The nest is a well built though bulky structure, commonly when 

 first constructed not very large — about 2| or 3 feet high and 3^ or 

 4 feet in outside diameter^but by the additions made during suc- 

 cessive years finally sometimes 7 feet high and 8 feet in diameter, 

 and containing fully two wagonloads of material. It is practically a 

 strong platform having a shght depression for the eggs, and is com- 

 posed largely of sticks, some of them 2 or 3 inches in diameter, twigs, 

 roots, weed stalks, branches of evergreen, leaves, and rubbish of 

 various kinds, with more or less lining of straw, grass, moss, bits of 

 bark, pine needles, green or dry leaves, and feathers, and with often 

 the addition of a piece of 'soap root' {CMorogalum pomeridianum) 

 (in California) or fresh evergreen, apparently as an ornament or 

 badge of occupancy. 



The eggs are usually two in number, occasionally one or three, 

 very rarely four, and range in color from plain wliite to very heavily 



