330 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



as May 17, before the ice had given way in the rivers ; and in his tables 

 of phenomena observed at the Cumberland House, in latitude 54°, we also 

 observe that a White-headed Eagle was seen as early as the 24th of March, 

 " being almost always the first of the summer birds which arrives." 



Mr. MacFarlane found these Eagles breeding on Lockhart Eiver, latitude 



67° 30', but does not 

 regard it as abundant 

 in that locality, and 

 from the information 

 he has received from 

 the Indians, he pre- 

 sumes latitude 68° to 

 be its extreme north- 

 ern range. In the fol- 

 lowing year, 1862, this 

 supposition was in part 

 confirmed by his find- 

 ing a pair breeding on 

 the same river, near its 

 junction with the An- 

 derson, in latitude 68° 

 north. Mr. B. E. Eoss 

 states that it ranges to 

 the Arctic Circle, and 

 is numerous around 

 Great Slave and Bear 

 Lakes. It proved to 

 very common at Sitka, wliere Bischoff obtained a number of specimens. 



Dr. Cooper, during his journey northward to the 49th degree, found this 

 one of the most abundant birds of the Falcon tribe in Washington Terri- 

 tory, particularly along the Columbia Eiver. It is a constant resident in 

 the Territory, and is said to lay its eggs as early as February. He saw large 

 numbers along the Columbia, sitting on some log or cliff over the water. 

 He never met with it about high mountain tops nor on the j)lains east of 

 the Eocky Mountains. 



Dr. Newberry met with this Eagle in the interior of Northern California, 

 along the Sacramento and San Joaquin Elvers. He found it very common at 

 the Cascades of the Columbia, at the Falls of the Willamette, and still more 

 abundant about the chain of lakes in the Klamath basin, and also in the 

 Cascade Eange, among the mountain lakes, and wherever fish was attainable. 

 They exhibited little shyness, and were easily brought within rifle range. 



In Florida, Mr. Allen found this bird very common, breeding as early as 

 January. It w^as very abundant on the upper St. John's, and especially so at 

 Lake Monroe. It is also equally common in Texas, according to Dresser, 



Haliactus leucocephains. 



