FALCONlDvE — THE FALCONS — PAXDI OX 453 



aud I am not certain tliat the magpie does ntit sometimes take advantage of 

 these piles to construct its own nest in their recesses, even while the eagle 

 occupies the upper story. I have kno\\-n tiie little red-headed linnet {Cor- 

 podacus frontalis) to build in a similar but smaller nest of a Butco, which I 

 think was occupied at the time by the hawks themselves. 



The &""% are said to be laid in February, and to be of a dull white color. 

 Only two are found at a time, and one often hatches much later than the 

 other, tliough, according to Lawson, they raise several young in a year, lay- 

 ing eggs while tlie first brood is Ijut half gro-\vn, and can assist in hatching 

 by its warmth. This seems somewliat probable from the fact that they are 

 seen about their nests or on tliem at various seasons, and seem to make 

 them more of a home than do most other binls. 



Like all birds of prey this eagle can sustain long periods of fasting ; and 

 as it depends so much on chance for a supply of food, its fasts must be quite 

 frequent. According to some authors, they have been known at times to 

 feed on carrion, and even to pursue the vultures, obliging tliem to disgorge 

 their nauseous food, which the eagle catches before it can reach the ground. 

 Occasionally, made bolder by hunger, they attack fuU-grown sheep and 

 deer, and Wilson says that one attempted to caiTy off a child from a garden 

 in New Jersey, while its mother was near by. Nuttall knew of one can-y- 

 ing off an infant to its nest, and though the liird was immediately pursued 

 the child was found dead. .Such instances are, howe\er, \'ery rare. The 

 wliite head and tail are not obtained Ijy this eagle until its third or finirth 

 year. 



There is considerable difference in the size of specimens, as is tlie case 

 with all birds resident over large areas of this continent, the smaller ones 

 being raised in the south. Mr. Cassin thinks it probable that Audubon's 

 H. Washingtonii may have been the young of the larger form. It re- 

 semlaled a very large specimen of this in young plumage, but had the bill 

 shorter and more alaruptly curved, and the tarsus with broad plates in front 

 instead of scales. No such specimen lias since been seen. 



Genus PANDION, S.uigxy. 



Pnmlion, Savigny, Hist. Nat. d'Egypte, I. 1809, 9.5. 



Gen. Cii.\r. Wins;? very long: freneral form heavy; bill short, i-urvert from the base, 

 .compressed ; tarsi very thick and strong ; covered by small circular scales ; claws large, 

 curved, very sharp ; soles of feet very rough ; tail moderate, or rather short. Cere 

 hispid; nostrils obliquely curved ; outer toe versatile. 



