78 General Notes. [j" n 



paper record resurrected recently, and used to erect a record for this species 

 in Colorado. 1 



This list by Lowe places in scientific ornithological literature a record 

 of a bird which has hitherto not been observed in the United States, and 

 one of (probable) great rarity even in Mexico, and is a record based on data 

 which seem rather dubious, and clouded by uncertainty. The writer's 

 interest in Colorado ornithology impelled him to send two other letters of 

 inquiry to Capt. Dortenbach but they remain unanswered up to the 

 present moment (December 4, 1917). The above facts are published, not 

 only to add to the completeness of this alleged record, but to exhibit the 

 ground on which the writer personally feels warranted in rejecting this 

 record, and in advising his ornithological confreres to do likewise. — 

 W. H. Bergtold, Denver, Colo. 



The Happy Eagle in Colorado. — An interesting example of the 

 great care necessary in placing occurrences of rare species on perma- 

 nent record, is contained in 'The Auk' for October, 1917. In a paper 

 appearing in this issue by Mr. Willoughby P. Lowe, entitled Remarks on 

 Colorado Birds,' is a record for the Harpy Eagle, Thrasaetus harpyia, which, 

 if valid, would not only be new for the Colorado list, but in all probability 

 would constitute the only record for North America. The occurrence 

 is based on a specimen "shot by Geo. Cress of Lees, Pueblo Co., some years 

 ago and preserved by (W. F.) Doertenbach of Pueblo". 



Immediately upon noting the above, I wrote to Mr. Doertenbach, who 

 had previously afforded me considerable assistance in clearing up other 

 records credited to Colorado, asking for a statement regarding the specimen 

 and for the address of Mr. Cress. An interesting correspondence ensued 

 which, through the courtesy of Mr. Doertenbach, I am permitted to use, 

 together with a photograph of the mounted specimen, still in the possession 

 of Mr. Cress, now of Carson City, Nevada. In replying to my original 

 inquiry, Mr. Doertenbach wrote in part, as follows: — " . . . .the specimen 

 .... we think is a Harpy Eagle .... [and I] . . . will . . . send you a photo of the 

 mounted specimen. The bird was not mounted with the ruff about the 

 head spread so it will not resemble the specimens in the National Museum 

 collections. Also the specimen was larger than the one displayed in 

 that collection and the feathers about the head were not so grey .... 

 The bird in question may not have been a Harpy but it is distinctly different 

 from any other eagle that I have ever handled". 



From the photograph sent with the above it was at once apparent that 

 the bird was not a Harpy but was an immature Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus 

 leiicocephalus, which is, however, rare in Colorado. The peculiar plumage 

 of the young of the latter species evidently caused the confusion. I there- 

 upon had the photograph of the Harpy Eagle in Mr. C. W. Beebe's book 



1 Remarks on Colorado Birds. Willoughby P. Lowe. Auk, October, 1917, p. 454. 



