GOLDEN EAGLE 299 



of the Anderson Kiver to its outlet in Liverpool Bay, and from near 

 the mouth of the Wilmot Horton Kiver in Franklin Bay, an aggre- 

 gate of twelve nests of the golden eagle was procured in course of 

 the breeding seasons from 1861 to 1865, inclusive. Ten of them 

 were constructed on the side face, and within twenty or thirty feet 

 of the summit, of steep and difficult of access earth and shaly ravine 

 banks; and in the other two instances the nests were built near the 

 top of tall spruce pines." 



Eggs. — The usual set of golden eagle's eggs is two ; full sets of one 

 are common, sets of three rather rare, and at least one set of four has 

 been taken (Ray, 1928) . Mr. Hanna (1930) writes : "Nests with com- 

 plete sets of eggs that I have personally examined in southern Cali- 

 fornia have had only one egg in 35 percent of the cases, two eggs in 

 60 percent and three eggs in 5 percent." The shape varies from 

 short-ovate to oval, or rarely to elliptical-oval; the shell is thick and 

 from finely to coarsely granulated. The ground color varies from 

 dull white to "cream-buff" or pinkish white. The variations in types 

 and colors of markings are endless, but series of eggs from the same 

 female usually run true to type. They are generally more or less 

 evenly marked with small blotches, spots, or fine dots, but often the 

 markings are unevenly distributed or concentrated at one end, and 

 some are evenly sprinkled with minute dots. The eggs are often 

 sparingly or faintly marked, or even nearlj'^ or quite immaculate. 

 The usual colors of the markings are "bay", "amber-brown", "hazel", 

 "tawny", "Mikado brown", "clay color", "vinaceous fawn color", 

 and various shades of "ecru-drab" or "Quaker drab." Some very 

 pretty eggs have large blotches or washes of the drabs overlaid with 

 browns. The measurements of 59 eggs in the United States National 

 Museum average 74.5 by 58 millimeters; the eggs showing the four 

 extremes measure 85.7 by 64.3, 67.5 by 53, and 70.7 by 49.4 millimeters. 

 An ^^^ in the collection of C. S. Sharp measures 89 by 66.6 milli- 

 meters, the largest ^^g of which I have any record. 



Towng. — The period of incubation of the golden eagle has been 

 variously reported as from 28 to 35 days; the latter figure seems to 

 be based on the most accurate observation and is probably the most 

 nearly correct. Most observers agree that the male does not assist 

 the female in incubation, but he feeds his mate on the nest and helps 

 to care for the young by bringing in food, which his mate feeds to the 

 young, and by brooding the young occasionally himself. The incu- 

 bating bird is easily frightened from the nest, although on rare 

 occasions she has been known to remain on the nest until the climber 

 has been near enough to touch her. She usually flies away in silence 

 and disappears entirely, or remains at a distance. Only once have T 

 ever seen an eagle return to her young while we were watching at a 



