236 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



summer resident, (Swain). Hancock; local resident, especially along the 

 coast, about five pair of birds in the entire county, (Knight). Kennebec; 

 very rare, (Powers). Knox; resident, (Rackliff). Oxford; breeds rarely, 

 (Nash). Penobscot ; a pair have nested near Pushaw Pond for years, and in 

 other parts of the county there are a few pair, perhaps ten pair of birds in 

 all, (Knight). Piscataquis; not uncommon, breeds, (Homer). Sagadahoc; 

 common and breeds, (Spinney). Somerset ; at least three or four pair breed 

 in the county, (Knight). Waldo; one of the Hancock county pair of birds 

 occasionally fly to the Waldo coast, (Knight). Washington ; common, 

 breeds, (Boardman). 



The actual number of pair of Eagles breeding in Maine is 

 estimated at not over 100 pair or 200 individuals, or in other 

 words an average of five to six pair to each county and these 

 figures, the result of careful estimates, are probably not far 

 from correct. Large birds as well known and conspicuous as 

 these may be seen and recognized at long distances, and it is 

 very natural for an observer seeing Eagles almost daily to report 

 them as common in his locality, when if the truth be carefully 

 sought for it will be finally determined that the observer report- 

 ing the species as common is most certainly seeing a very few 

 individuals over and over again, and especially is this true 

 along the coast. 



The Bald Eagle by no possible stretch of the imagination 

 can be called "common", or even "not uncommon", it is actu- 

 ally very rare when compared in point of numbers with the 

 actual numbers of other birds occurring in Maine. Along the 

 coast a comparatively large number occur within a limited 

 region while about the interior lakes fewer individuals are 

 found occupying a far more extensive territory. For example 

 in the region of Penobscot Bay there are about four pair of 

 these birds which may properly be said to belong to Hancock 

 County, nesting along the coast and on the islands, while inland 

 in the County I know of only one pair residing. 



The Knox, Sagadahoc and Lincoln birds are practically all 

 coast residents, and judging from reports there are several pair 

 along the coast within what may be called comparatively lim- 

 ited areas. 



