98 THE HAWKS AND OWLS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



Nuttall, in speaking of the food of this bird, says: "Besides fish, he 

 preys upon Ducks, Geese, Gulls, and other seafowl, and when the re- 

 sources of the ocean diminish, or fail from any cause, particularly on the 

 southern migration of the Osprey, his inland depredations are soon noto- 

 rious, young lambs, pigs, fawns, and even deer often becoming his prey" 

 (Land Birds, 1832, p. 75), 



Mr. H. W. Henshaw, speaking of the food of this bird on the west 

 coast, says: "They are said to annually destroy many of the lambs. 

 I am informed by Lieut. Carpenter that this Eagle at the mouth of the 

 Columbia River is exceedingly numerous, and that here its habits of 

 feeding upon carrion are as regular aud fixed as those of the true Buz- 

 zards. Its chief dependence is on fish, more particularly Salmon, of 

 which vast numbers are cast up by the waves." (App. JJ, Eept. of 

 the Chief of Engineers, U. S. A., for 187G, pp. 2G4, 205.) 



Speaking of the food of the Bald Eagle in Alaska, Mr. E. W. Nelson 

 says: "In summer they feed upon fish and the numerous wild-fowl 

 which breed among these islands. In winter they feed upon Ptarmi- 

 gan and the seafowl which reside there during this season. When at 

 the salmon run, in Sanborn Harbor, Nagai, Mr. Dall saw seventeen 

 eagles within 100 yards. During winter he found many eagles dead, 

 but they were too fat to have starved, and he was unable to account 

 for the mystery." (Report Nat. Hist,, Collections in Alaska, 1887, p. 

 144.) 



Mr. L. M. Turjier, speaking of the same general country, says: "The 

 food of this eagle is rather mixed, consisting of ptarmigans, ducks, and 

 an occasional fish. Any fish or bird that may be thrown dead on the 

 beach is eagerly eaten by this eagle." (Contrib. Nat. Hist. Alaska, 

 1886, p. 159.) 



In parts of the West and Southwest this bird often does considerable 

 good in destroying noxious mammals. Dr. J. G. Cooper says : " The 

 Spanish inhabitants rather encourage its presence, on account of the 

 great number of squirrels it kills; and I have been told of instances 

 where young ones raised from the nest have been kept for several years 

 in a domestic state, going out daily to kill squirrels, and returning to 

 the house at night." (Ornith. Cal., Land Birds, 1870, p. 452.) 



Mr. Wm. Lloyd, in a letter dated February 18, 1887, says: "I went 

 to a Bald Eagle's nest on January 28, and though disappointed at find- 

 ing young just ready to fly, yet I watched the parents bring two prairie 

 dogs to the nest, and skins of this mammal were mixed uj) in the debris 

 of the nest." 



A A^ery interesting instance is mentioned by Mr. Thomas Mcllraith 

 of an eagle, which was shot on the shore of Hamilton Bay, Lake Ontario, 

 that had the bleached skull of a w^easel dangling from its neck. The 

 teeth were fijiidy set in the skin of the throat. (Birds of Ontario, 1886, 

 p. 147.) 



In certain sections of the country the Bald Eagle appears to be as 

 destructive to domesticated animals as the Golden Eagle is, and un- 



