182 NESTS AND EGGS OF 



349. Aquila chrysaetos. (Linn.). [449.] 



Golden Eagle. 



Hab. Northern portions of the northern hemisphere, chiefly in mountainous regions. 



The Golden Eagle inhabits North America at large, and also the 

 northern parts of the Old World. It may be recognized by the tarsus 

 being wholly feathered to the toes ; the general color of its plumage is 

 dark-brown throughout, and the tone of the color, in certain lights, is of 

 a golden-brown. It is known to breed in mountainous portions of North- 

 ern New England and New York. In the Anderson River region Mr. 

 MacFarlane found the Golden Eagle nesting as early as the last of April, 

 and eggs containing large embryos were taken May 27. The bird is 

 quite common in the mountainous regions of California. The nests 

 are built usually on inaccessible rocks, and sometimes in trees, and two 

 or three eggs are laid, generally two. Throughout California the 

 Golden Eagle seems to nest in trees by preference. Mr. Samuel C. 

 Evans found it breeding in March, in the wild, rugged mountains of 

 Santa Clara county, in the vicinity of Mt. Day ; the nests were placed 

 in sycamores, pines and oaks — one in a large pine tree which overhung 

 a deep and rocky canon. Mr. Norris has a set of two eggs which was 

 taken February 26, 1886, near Tres Pinos, California, from a nest 

 built in a solitary live oak standing in a wheat field, on the side 

 of a gulch. This nest was very large, nearly four feet in depth 

 and five feet in diameter; it was composed of sticks and lined with 

 straw stubble, green grass and twigs in leaf. The eggs are whitish, 

 heavily blotched with chestnut, and pale lavender under-shell markings ; 

 sizes, 2.86x2.21, 2.89x2.29. Mr. J. R. Chalker, in the seasons of 

 1886-7-8, collected ten sets of the eggs of this bird in San Benito 

 county, California, nearly all of which were taken from nests placed in 

 trees. The first set was found February 26, and the others at various 

 dates in the month of March. Two eggs was the usual number laid, 

 and one set of three was taken. A nest in a lofty red-wood tree, ninety- 

 four feet from the ground, is described as being made of large sticks, 

 lined with red-wood twigs and straw-stubble. Nests were also found 

 placed on almost inaccessible cliffs. The eggs in colors varied from 

 white, unmarked, to faintly and heavily marked specimens. One set 

 was found which was densely blotched with reddish-brown all over. 

 Mr. Norris has another set of two eggs taken in San Benito county, 

 California, which is dull white, thickly spotted and sprinkled with 

 chestnut red and under-shell markings of pale lavender; sizes, 3.05 x 

 2.17, 3.01x2.14. 



