THE WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 453 



throughout the season. In the Southern States, where 

 these birds spend the winter, they often congregate in great 

 numbers. Here they also breed abundantly early in the 

 season.* 



THE WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 



As in the days of Wilson, the White-headed Eagle 

 {Haliaetus leucocephalus) is still a common and character- 

 istic bird of Niagara River throughout the year. Now, as 

 then, he may be seen soaring majestically in the great cloud 

 of spray ever rising from the cataract, or reconnoitering 

 the rapids, rushing along the sublime gorge, in search of 

 the ill-fated animals or birds which have perished in these 

 waters; or sailing serenely above the broad and beautiful 

 expanse of the river, from Queenstown Heights, to Lake 

 Ontario. Not infrequently he appears in the vicinity of my 

 tent, alighting in the adjoining grove, or flying low over 

 the troubled waters. 



In appearance at least, this is, perhaps, the most magnifi- 

 cent bird of our continent. Closely allied to the Buzzards, 

 both in structure and in grandeur of flight, his rich, dark- 

 brown figure, adorned with snow-white head and tail, is 

 simply incomparable, while his great size and gigantic 

 spread of wings give him a peculiar majesty, whether he 

 beat the air in regular strokes, or sail in sublime repose. 

 Look at him, and reflect on human imbecility, as he soars 

 into the heavens, till he becomes a mere speck against the 

 ether! Imagine the extent of landscape of which he has 

 in very deed a "bird's-eye view." According to Audubon 

 he can sail entirely out of sight without a single stroke of 

 the wings. 



* Similar to the former species, but several inches longer, and proportionately larger 

 every way, is the Florida Heron {Herodias -Murdeinantii). Its habits, too, are quite sim- 

 ilar. Its habitat would seem to be the Florida Keys; possibly it strays, occasionally, to 

 the mainland. " Known from the preceding species by th'i naked tibiae; white-top to 

 head; black forehead, and white under parts." (Maynard.) 



