214 HALI^TUS WASHINGTONII — WASHINGTON EAGLE. 



new mate, and with her established themselves in the old 

 nest. When the young are able to forage for themselves 

 the parents drive them away, but they remain in the 

 vicinity of the nest, and roost on the same tree for a con- 

 siderable time after they are able to fly. 



The flight of this bird is very powerful, and it can ascend 

 to great heights with little apparent exertion, sweeping in 

 wide curves upward, on almost motionless wings, until it 

 appears like a mere speck in the sky. 



The length of this Eagle is about 3 feet; extent of wings 

 7 feet; bill, 2f inches along the upper ridge; tarsi 3, and 

 middle toe 3| inches. 



In the adult, the head and tail, with the upper and under 

 coverts of the latter, are white, the rest of the plumage 

 dark brown; bill and feet yellow. The young bird has the 

 entire plumage brown, with the bill blackish; slight mot- 

 tlings of white on the tail, especially on the inner margins 

 of the feathers. The iris of the young bird is also brown, 

 while that of the adult is yellow. 



There are several specimens in the Museum of the Cleve- 

 land Academv of Natural Science. 



HalitETUs Washingtonii— The Washington Sea Eagle. 



Audubon's Birds of America, Oct. ed., I., p. 53, pi. 13. 



Considerable doubt exists in regard to this Eagle, no 

 naturalist having been able to identify the bird since the 

 time Audubon discovered and described it, and as this 

 description is based on a single specimen, shot by him, at 

 the village of Henderson, Kentucky, it is the more remark- 

 able. 



In Ohio there are fisher eagles that neither agree in 

 specific character with H. leiMiocephahis nor H. Washing- 



