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HALI^.TUS WASHINGTONII— WASHINGTON EAGLE. H46 



tonii, exceeding in size the former, bnt wantinir the 

 continuation of the tarsal scutella to the base of the 

 toes, wljich is one of the distinguishing marks of the 

 latter species. The Cleveland Academy of Natural Sci- 

 ence has in its possession two specimens of this Eagle, 

 one mounted, the other a skin. The latter is now lying 

 before us; the bird was shot three or four years since 

 within a few miles of Cleveland, and the skin has shrunk 

 a good deal in drying; the measure of the total length 

 cannot therefore be at all reliable. It is now about 3 feet 

 2 inches, and i)robabIy when recent was 3 feet 4 inches; 

 the wings, from the flexure to the tips of the longest prima- 

 ries, 2 feet 1^ inches; bill along the ridge 3:^ inches; tarsi 

 3^ inches; middle toe and claw 4^ inches; tail 15 inches 

 long. Color dark brown ; tail and portion of the secondary 

 feathers of the wing irregularly blotched with white; 

 primaries black, the third, fourth and fifth being the 

 longest, and of equal length. Bill blackish ; feet j'^ellow. 

 The sex or age uii known. Tiiere is considerable shading 

 of yellowish tiiroiighout the whole plumage, but is rather 

 irregular. 



As the dimensions of this bird do not agree with those of 

 H. Washingtonii nor of H. leuGOcejyhalus, we cannot say 

 to which it really belongs, and shall wait until an oppor 

 tunity offers for the examination of a recent specimen, but 

 we may state that it has been a question in the minds of 

 the best ornithologists of Ohio, if this is not really the 

 Washington Eagle. 



Audubon states that this bird frequents the course of the 

 Ohio River and its tributaries, and also the chain of the 

 great Lakes, the latter on the authority of the voyageur 

 who first called his attention to it. He also states that this 

 species breeds in the cliffs of rocks, a habit that the Bald 

 Eagle has not, the latter always building in trees. It is also 

 more industrious than its white headed relation, fishing for 

 itself in the manner of the Fish Hawk, and does not rob this 

 bird of food, like the former species. 



