THE BALD EAGLE. 519 



No. 210. 



BALD EAGLE. 



A. O. U. No. 352. Haliseetus leucocephalus (Linn.) 



Synonyms. — Bird of Washington (young). Gray Eagle (second year 

 3'oung). Black Eagle (first year young). 



Description. — Adult: Head and neck all around, and tail including coverts, 

 pure white; remaining plumage grayish brown to brownish black; with some 

 paler edging of feathers; bill and feet yellow; claws black. Immature, first year: 

 blackish with some outcropping white of cottony-based feathers ; bill black : feet 

 yellow. Second year: grayish brown or dark brown, mottled somewhat irregu- 

 larly on wings and tail (centrally) with gray and white; acquiring adult char- 

 acteristics by end of third year. Second year birds are somewhat larger than 

 adults, "overgrown puppies," and were formerly described as Washington Eagles. 

 Science outgrew this ignorance as the nation outgrew its youth. Adult male 

 length 30,00-36.00 (762-914.4); e.xtent of wings seven feet; wing 21.00-26.00 

 (533.4-660.4); tail 11.50-15.00 (292.1-381); culmen about 2.00 (50.8); tarsus 

 about 3.00 (76.2) ; middle toe and hind claw 2.75 (69.9). Adult female length 

 34.00-42.00 (863.6-1066.8) ; extent seven to eight feet; wing 24.00-28.00 (609.6- 

 711. 2) ; tail 13.00-16.00 (330.2-406.4); culmen about 2.20 (55.9); tarsus about 

 3.50 (88.9) ; hind claw up to two inches (50.8). 



Recognition Marks. — Largest: white head and tail of adult: half-naked 

 tarsus distinctive in any plumage. 



Nesting. — Nest: a bulky platform of sticks high in trees, or, rarely, on cliffs, 

 near considerable bodies of water. Eggs: 2 or 3, dull white or pale bluish white, 

 unmarked but often nest-stained. Av. size, 2.89x2.25 (73.4x57.2). Season: 

 about May ist; one brood. 



General Range. — North America at large, except Alaska, south to Mexico. 

 Breeds locally thruout its range. 



Range in Washington. — Formerly abundant resident west of the Cascades; 

 now not common resident on West-side ; rare or casual east of the Mountains. 



Authorities. — Haliaetiis leiicoccplialus Linn., Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. 

 LX.. 1858, p. 44. T. C&S. L. Rh. D'. Ra. D-\ B. E. 



Specimens.— (U. of W.) Prov. BN. 



IF YOLT would prove conclusively that mankind has made small pro- 

 gress since the days of Omph, the cave-dweller, place a rifle in his hand, con- 

 front him suddenly with an Eagle sitting all unawares on a pine stub at a 

 liundred yards, and bid him shoot. As certainly as Adam put forth his hand 

 for the proffered apple, so surely will the finger of this, his Twentieth Century 

 descendant, press trigger and doom to destruction the most picturesque in- 

 habitant of lakeside and forest. And wherefore? "Why, because he is 

 known to prey upon grouse, rabbits, and waterfowl, the killing of which is 

 man's exclusive prerogative." Oh, pshaw! you don't really begrudge the 



