PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 91 
I have never seen a specimen of true H. albicilla at all resembling in 
coloration the bird described above, while its reference to H. leucocepha- 
lus seems to me out of the question, the proportions differing decidedly 
from those of the latter species; the bill and feet being much larger 
than in a specimen of the bald eagle of equal size so far as other meas- 
urements are concerned. Iam therefore strongly inclined to agree with 
Dr. Stejneger as to its distinctness from either of the above-named spe- 
cies, although, as suggested above, it may be the eastern representative 
race of H. albicilla. 
Dr. Stejneger’s remarks concerning this specimen are to the following 
effect : 
After alluding to the fact that H. leucocephalus not only occurs but 
also breeds on Bering Island, and that the Thalassowtus pelagicus Gan 
only be considered an irregular if not wholly casual visitant—* a lonely 
straggler from Kamtschatka”—he says: “It seems that a third species 
of sea eagle must be added, not only to the fauna of Bering Island, but 
even to the list of known birds, for I have never seen a young Halietus 
with the whole lower surface white and the upper parts with dark tips 
and edgings on a whitish ground, such as my No. 1,055. This,a young 
female, still with black tail, was shot the 15th of May, and measures 
890™" (35 inches) in length, with a stretch of wings of 2.220™ (87.40 
inches). Iris faint yellowish white,* bill horn-brown, cere yellow, with 
horn-brown shadings on top; feet bright golden yellow. 
“Compared with the young of H. leucocephalus of the same age, it 
has, apart from the white color of the body, the tail-feathers, under 
tail-coverts and axillars, still darker colored. The size is in some re- 
spects inferior to that of the bald eagle, the specimen sent represent- 
ing the maximum of its kind, being not larger than an old male of said 
species.t The bill holds fully the size of that of a young H. lewcocepha- 
lus, and the feet likewise, but the body, the wing, and tail are smaller. 
‘“j have little doubt that this bird growing old would have assumed 
an almost uniform white plumage below, with white tailt a supposition 
corroborated by the statement of Mr. Grebnitzky that he had himself 
seen an ee on the island having the lower sal ie and the tail white. 
“In uae young of H. Reyne even say two or more years are en iris is usu- 
ally if not always deep brown, and the bill and cere blackish, while in H. albicilla 
the iris is always (?) brown in the young, and sometimes in ‘ie: adult also ! 
t Upon this point I am inclined to disagree with Dr. Stejneger, and as for size and 
proportions, would rather compare the specimen with the adult male of H. albicilla. 
{In Dr. Stejneger’s specimen, the middle rectrices have been moulted, and those of 
the new dress are just making their appearance. hey are even darker in color than the 
old ones, although similarly marked, which would indicate either that the individual 
im question would not have attained its perfect plumage the next year or else that 
the adult does not have a whitetail. That the specimen is not in its first year is clearly 
indicated by the character of the plumage, as well as by the date of its capture (May 
15th ); while that it is probably more than two years old is strongly suggested by the 
light color of the bill and cere which in JH. albicilla and H. leucocephalus do not be- 
come yellowish until the bird begins to assume a portion of its adult livery. 
