127 



cere, '77; cere, -50: tarsus, 2-7o; middle toe and claw, 1-90; claw 

 alone, -64. Average of two young males: length, 15-93; stretch, 

 35-62; wing, 10*78: tail, 6-85; culmen measured from cere, -68; cere, 

 •45; gape, 1-20; tarsus, 2*35; middle toe and claw, 1-70; toe alone, 

 1-18; claw, -58 Average of two young females : length, 16-45; stretch, 

 36-69; wing, 11-08; tail, 7-15; culmen measured from frontal feathers, 

 1-12; from cere, -77; bill from nostril, -72; gape, 1-37; tarsus, 2 43; 

 middle toe and claw, 1-83; middle toe, 1 33. 



142. Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis {Gmelin). Amer- 

 ican Rough-legged Hawk, Occurs rarely during migrations. I 

 have also found it at Fort Miller, on the Hudson, in November, 1876. 



143. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis (Gmelin). American 

 OsPREY; Fisii Hawk. A common spring and fall migrant; occasional 

 during summer. Its nest was found upon the cliffs north of West 

 Point, many years ago. A few years since, Mr. Harold Herrick found 

 a nest near Yonkers, on the Hudson, which contained eggs. 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of four specimens: length, 

 2310; stretch, 64-00; wing, 18-25; tail, 8-40. 



144. Aquila chrysaetus canadensis {Linne). American 

 Golden Eagle. Occasionally observed during spring, autumn and 

 Winter. It was formerly known to nest upon the cliffs on the west 

 side of the Hudson, north of West Point; and it is not impossible 

 that it still does so. Two Golden Eagles have been shot in the High- 

 lands during the past few years. I have seen it on several occasions, 

 but never in summer. In March, 1876, two of these Eagles were 

 found in a certain spot in Putnam County for several weeks, but I did 

 not succeed in shooting them. In April, 1872, I saw one twice, whose 

 tail was all white, save a narrow terminal bar of black. 



145. Haliaetus leucocephalus {Linne). White-headed Ea- 

 gle. A permanent resident ; breeds. 



The White-headed or Bald Eagle constitutes a marked and roman- 

 tic feature of the superb scenery of this part of the Hudson, lending 

 another charm to a scene already grand and impressive, but rendered 

 sublime and awe-inspiring by the presence of this noble bird, seen 

 perched upon some blasted tree above the massive cliffs, or soaring 

 in higher atmospheric regions, far above reach of the coming tem- 

 pest, while its shrill scream falls faintly upon the ear, answering the 

 loud, quavering cry of its nearer mate. 



In winter, when the river is frozen, the Eagles are seen soaring 

 above the mountains, searching for the scanty prey upon which they 

 are obliged to subsist when fish, their favorite food, is unattainable; 

 but later, when the ice is in motion in the Hudson, carried swiftly by 

 the current, numbers of them may be seen sitting in pairs upon trees 

 low down by the river's edge, watching for their finny prey, or else 



