344 BULLETIN 16 7, UI^ITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



ring, or alewives, run up the rivers and small streams in spring to 

 spawn in the lakes and ponds. After the spawning season is over 

 the shores of many ponds are lined with the dead bodies of herring. 

 Here the eagles gather at that season to feed on this plentiful food 

 supply. William Brewster (1925) writes: 



During the continuance of spring freshets, Suckers and Pickerel, dead or 

 dying, are washed ashore more or less numerously and eaten greedily by Eagles, 

 even when in putrid condition. Later in the season these and other fish of 

 goodly size are often snatched up while basking in the sun or swimming at 

 or very near the surface of the water. For whenever it suits his needs or 

 whim the Eagle will catch living and vigorous fish quite as adroitly as can 

 any Osprey, although pursuing the sport in a somewhat different way. Thus 

 he commonly swoops at the fish from a tree on shore, along a comparatively 

 slight downward incline, or perhaps somewhat more abruptly, after hovering 

 for a moment over the water at a height no greater than fifteen or twenty 

 feet. In either case he is likely to capture such prey without wetting more 

 than his feet and legs and never, I believe, will completely immerse himself 

 to secure it as the Osprey does habitually, because accustomed to descend 

 directly from greater heights, with much more impetus. 



On the coasts of British Columbia and Alaska the eagles gather 

 in enormous numbers to feast on the great schools of salmon and 

 herring that are running up the rivers to spawn. Many are caught 

 alive at the mouths of the streams or in the rapids, but eagles are 

 too lazy to catch living fish when they can gorge themselves on the 

 countless numbers of dead ones that line the streams after the 

 spawning season. Bears, gulls, and ravens join in this feast, which 

 lasts only during spring and summer. Joseph Dixon (1909) writes: 



By the first of May the eagles are on the lookout for schools of herring 

 that usually make their appearance about this time. One afternoon I noticed 

 a commotion out in the bay where a flock of loons were fishing, then an eagle 

 left a nearby perch, swoopt down, struck a fish in the water and returned to 

 his perch where he gave a shrill scream. At the sound, eagles began to 

 come from all directions to the spot where he had secured his fish, and within 

 five minutes there were more than twenty eagles assembled. Only the first 

 ones secured fish, as the fish which had evidently been driven to the surface 

 of the water by the loons, went down again ; the eagles returned to their 

 perches to begin another vigil and soon all was quiet again. 



Major Brooks (1922) says: 



When fish are easy to capture as during the salmon and herring runs these 

 undoubtedly comprise the bulk of the Eagles' food, but at other times fish 

 are scarce and beyond the Eagles' ability to capture them ; crabs may form a 

 good portion of their diet in the summer but during most of the winter and 

 up to June or even July Ducks and other waterfowl form the bulk of their 

 food. These are t;iken in the water, usually after a long chase the victim 

 being picked up as he comes to the surface. The only chance a Du<k has is 

 to get on the wing at all costs. I have repeatedly seen such clumsy risers 

 as Goldeneyes and Scoters get away by shooting to the surface right under the 

 Eagle's tail and instantly taking wing before he can swing around. I have 

 never seen one of these Eagles catch a bird on the wing, although they some- 



