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50 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 
and it undoubtedly breeds in the wildest districts of these 
States. The following are the most interesting facts, given 
by. Audubon, in relation to this species : — 
“The Golden Eagle, although a permanent resident in the 
United States, is of rare occurrence there; it being seldom that 
one sees more than a pair or two in the course of a year, unless he 
be an inhabitant of the mountains, or of the large plains spread out 
at their base. I have seen a few of them on the wing along the 
shores of the Hudson, others on the upper parts of the Mississippi, 
some among the Alleghanies, and a pair in the State of Maine. 
At Labrador, we saw an individual sailing, at the height of a few 
yards, over the moss-covered surface of the dreary rocks. 
“Although powerful in flight, it has not the speed of many 
hawks, nor even of the White-headed Eagle. It cannot, like the 
latter, pursue and seize, on the wing, the prey it longs for; but is 
obliged to glide down through the air for a certain height to insure 
the success of its enterprise. The keenness of its eye, however, 
makes up for this defect, and enables it to spy, at a great distance, 
the objects on which it preys; and it seldom misses its aim, as it 
falls with the swiftness of a meteor towards the spot on which they 
are concealed. When at a great height in the air, its gyrations are 
uncommonly beautiful, being slow and of wide circuit, and becom- 
ing the majesty of the king of birds. It often continues them for 
hours at a time, with apparently the greatest ease. 
“The notes of this species are sharp and harsh; resembling, at 
times, the barking of a dog; especially about the breeding season, 
when the birds become extremely noisy and turbulent, flying more 
swiftly than at other times, alighting more frequently, and evincing 
a fretfulness which is not so observable after their eggs are laid. 
“They are capable of remaining without food for several days at 
a time, and eat voraciously whenever they find an opportunity. 
“Young fawns, raccoons, hares, wild turkeys, and other large 
birds, are their usual food; and they devour putrid flesh only when 
hard pressed by hunger, none alighting on carrion at any other 
time. : 
I regret that I am unable to add any thing to our knowl- 
edge of its habits and breeding peculiarities. Dr. Brewer 
