NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 109 



have come into my possession, all having been taken in Central Ohio, in 

 winter or early spring. It is not, however, nearly so abundant as the Bald 



JcLagle. Hab. North America, northerly. South, ordinarily to about 35" Europe. Asia. 



451. Bald Eagle; Gray Eagle — hali^etus leucocephalus. White, 

 unspotted; size about three inches longby two and a half broad; com- 

 monly two eggs are laid. This great bird is common anywhere through- 

 out North America. Three years are required for it to attain a perfectly 

 white head and tail. The first year the young are very dark colored, and 

 are called "Black" eagles, the second they are "Gray" Eagles, and are 

 usually larger than the old birds. Although the White-headed Eagle has 

 been adopted as the emblem of our country, a far better one might have 

 been selected. It is true he has a noble and bold appearance, but this 

 exists in many of the smaller hawks. His robbing the Fish Hawk of its 

 well-earned prey has made him notorious. His filthy habit of feeding on 

 dead fish, which he finds along the banks of streams, and upon decaying 

 carcasses, should place him on the same level in character with the 

 "repulsive" Buzzard or Vulture. I have skinned and mounted as many 

 as nine Bald Eagles in a winter season, which were killed in Central C)hio 

 with guns or poisoned with strychnine placed on the carcasses the birds 

 were wont to devour. It has been recorded by Dr. Kirtland as breeding 

 near Rockport, Ohio, the nest being placed in a lofty oak, and the birds 

 occupying the same eyrie for many seasons; but of late years we have no 

 record of it breeding in the State, which it doubtless does. The nest is 

 usually built in a tree, and it is probably the largest structure of the kind 

 placed in trees in our country, unless it be some of the augmented 

 hawks" nests. 



453. Californian Condor — pseudogrvphus californianus. Pale green- 

 ish-blue or whitish ground, unspotted ; size about 4. 50 by 2. 50. This large 

 Vulture, whose habits are exactly like those of the common Turkey Buz- 

 zard, is restricted to the area of the Pacific coast region as far north as the 

 Columbia River in Oregon. South of this it is more common, and 

 especially in the warm valleys of California. Here it is associated with 

 the Buzzard, often feeding together on the same carcass. Like this bird 

 its flight is easy and graceful, sailing majestically with almost motionless 

 wings, in wide circles at great heights, over a large space of territory, in 

 search of food. The eggs are laid on the ground between old logs, in 

 hollow stumps, in crevices of rocks, with little or no attempt at nest 



buildiUiJ. Hab. Pacific coast region of U. S. and southward. 



