FALCONID^ — THE FALCONS. 333 



fastened round his body, to a height where the branches of the tree rendered 

 the remainder of the ascent comparatively easy. While he was ascending, 

 we observed several Eagles flying over our heads, but at a great height. One 

 only approached us ; but, as soon as we were noticed, the bird made a precip- 

 itate retreat. It was apparently conveying food to the nest, and was not at 

 first aware of our presence ; after whicli it hovered at a distance, uttering 

 hoarse, disagreeable cries of displeasure, not unlike the imperfect barking of a 

 dog. No attempt was made to molest or interrupt the man as he ascended 

 to, or after he had reached, the nest. We found, when he had climbed to 

 the nest, that the female had been sitting upon it all the while, and only left 

 when the unwelcome caller was near enough to have reached her with his 

 hands. She too flew over the man's head in somewhat close proximity, utter- 

 ing frequent cries of distress, but made no effort whatever to attack him. 



The nest was found to contain no egg, and but a single bird, apparently 

 about a fortnight old. It was some six or seven inches in length, its weight 

 between one and two pounds, and its head and claws disproportionately 

 large. It was covered uniformly with a thick, close, and soft downy plum- 

 age, whicli was of a clean deep straw-color. There was not the least admix- 

 ture of gray or brown. The young bird was completely helpless, and uttered 

 almost constant cries for food. It ate readily wdienever fish or meat was 

 offered it, but was unable to support itself upon its legs. It was taken to 

 my host's house, where it was well cared for, and for a while, with careful 

 attention, it did well and grew apace, manifesting a most inordinate and 

 insatiable appetite. 



The nest was described to me by my assistant as a platform between five 

 and six feet in diameter, and at least four in thickness. It was constructed 

 of regular layers of large sticks, each several feet in length, and from an inch 

 to an inch and a half in thickness. Its surface was perfectly flat, and was 

 " finished off," to use his expression, with tufts of grass, dry leaves, mosses, 

 lichens, small twigs, etc., etc. He found in it, by the side of the young 

 Eagle, four or five large eels, each of which was about two feet in length, 

 showing that the parent birds provide liberally for their own wants and 

 those of their young. 



Estimating the age of the young Eagle at ten days, and allowing four 

 weeks for incubation, and at least one week's interval between the deposition 

 and the commencement of the parent .bird's sitting upon it, we have very 

 nearly the exact period at which the egg was laid, March 13. 



This occurred at the coldest period of the season, when the ground was 

 covered with snow to an unusual depth, and when the thermometer indi- 

 cated a temperature at that time frequently as low as 15° below zero. 



The nest is usually of great size, composed of sticks from three to five feet 

 in length, pieces of turf, weeds, and moss. Its diameter is about five feet, 

 and its depth is not unfrequently as great. In the warmer localities, where 

 it breeds, the pair usually frequent the same nest throughout the year, and 



