BIRDS OF BERMUDA. 223 



Genus Haliaetus, Savigny. 



86. Haliaetus leucocephalus, (Linn.) Sav. White-headed Eagle; Bald 

 Eagle. 



AquiJa Jeucocejyhalus, Briss., Vieil., Pall., Sw. 



Falco leucocephahis, Liuu., Gm., Lath., Shaw, Wils., Bp., Nutt., Aud., Brewer. 



Haliaetus Icucocejihalus, Savig., Cuv., Less., Steph., Bp., Aud., Gir., Gray, 



Cass., Brewer, aud of authors geuerally. 

 AquiJa {haliaetus) leucocephahis, Sw. & Rich, 

 Falco pijoargus, Daud. 

 Falco ossifragus, Wils. 



Falco washingtonii, Aud., Nutt., Brewer, James. 

 Haliaetus ivashingtonii, Bp., Aud., Cass. 



Female : Length, 35 to 40 ; wing, 23 to 25 ; tail, 14 to 15. 



Male : Length, 30 to 34 ; wing, 20 to 22 ; tail, 13 to 14. 



Hah. — The whole of Xorth America; Greenland (Coues), 



This fine bird was seen by Mr. Hurdis, in Hamilton Harbor, on the 

 8th June, 1853, and an undoubted adult example was frequently ob- 

 served in Pembroke Marsh aud other places between the 2d aud 11th 

 March, 1854. Mr. Bartram informs me that he came upon one perched 

 on an old turret of the Castle, at the entrance of Castle Harbor, on the 

 1st May, 1877. He at first thought it was an osprey, but soon noticed 

 the white head and neck of the Eagle. He had no gun with him at the 

 time. Again, on the 10th October, 1878, he was told of a strange bird 

 on a tree near his house, and on i^roceeding to the spot " it flew past 

 me quite low, and slow, not more than twenty or thirty yards from me, 

 and I was so much occupied in taking stock of it that I never once 

 thought of pulling the trigger until it was out of reach. Its head aud 

 neck were clear white ; all the other parts dark-brown." In a subse- 

 quent paragraph of his letter he adds : "I have just (14th October, 

 1878) got word that one of my gunners was after the Eagle on Long- 

 bird Island this afternoon, but a carriage came along aud scared it 

 away. 1 hope that some of us will get a chance yet." As I have not 

 since heard from Mr. Bartram, I am unable to state anything definite 

 regarding the capture of the bold stranger, and the White-headed 

 Eagle must still be included in the Bermuda lists as " seen but not 

 obtained." Nevertheless, the evidence is so very strong aud clear that 

 1 have not hesitated to give a place to the species in this work. 



Mr. Bartram writes, under date 9th December, 1878, that this fortu- 

 nate bird made good his escape after all. (S. G. R.) 



