NORTHERN BALD EAGLE 335 



places, or near their favorite lookout points on the hilltops, where 

 feathers and droppings indicated that they habitually used the same 

 spot for a perch; at one such spot, on the crest of a steep, rocky hill, 

 I surprised a large eagle that sailed back and forth several times, 

 within a few feet of my head, squealing vigorously all the time, 

 as if I were intruding on its home. They must have been very 

 abundant on Atka Island at one time, for Austin H. Clark (1910) 

 says that an Indian shot 175 there one winter "to prevent their mak- 

 ing depredations on the young of a colony of blue foxes." But the 

 situation has changed materially since the Alaska bounty law went 

 into effect in 1917. During the first 10 years under this law it was 

 reported that bounties were paid on 41,812 eagles. Since that time 

 it has been estimated that the number has increased to over 50,000 

 and perhaps 70,000. At this rate of destruction the day may not be 

 far distant when this splendid bird will be less often seen as a pic- 

 turesque feature in the scenery along the inside passages of southern 

 Alaska. Maj. Allan Brooks (1922) takes a more hopeful view: 



It is impossible for anyone whose only acquaintance with Eagles is in the 

 east to have any idea of their numbers on this portion of the Pacific coast; 

 except the Raven, in m;iny localities it is the commonest bird and I have often 

 seen forty or more togethex*. 



As by far the greater portion of this region is totally uninhabited there is 

 absolutely no chance of their numbers being seriously depleted by any system of 

 destruction induced by a small bounty. The long winding inlets and channels 

 which cut up the shore line of the whole of this region, together with the maze 

 of islands more than doubles the total shore line, and affords a tremendous area 

 (most of which is complete solitude) for the home of countless Bald Eagles. 



Nesting. — In the Aleutian Islands we found these eagles breeding 

 on Unalaska, Atka, Kiska, and Tanaga Islands; probably they breed 

 on most of the other suitable islands. As there are no trees on any 

 of these islands the nests were all placed on rocky cliffs or on pin- 

 nacles of rock ; some were easily reached but some were inaccessible. 

 All the nests contained young, half grovrn or more in July. 



On the south side of the Alaska Peninsula, Charles A. Gianini 

 (1917) found bald eagles nesting "on the cliffs overlooking the bay 

 and further inland as well, but always near water." Another "nest 

 was a mere depression in the heavy grass situated on the top of a 

 butte inland and overlooking Big River." 



On the coasts and islands of southern Alaska and British Colum- 

 bia the eagles nest in large trees. Joseph Dixon (1909) says that 

 "out of 25 nests observed, only two were in dead trees. The birds 

 rarely build at the extreme end of a point of timber, but go back 

 in the woods for fifty yards or so in order that the nest may be 

 sheltered from the gales that rage at times." A nest that he found 

 on Admiralty Island "was situated in the highest branches of a 

 broken top spruce tree, 116 feet from the ground"; it measured 



