164 BJRDS'-NESTS. 



in his descents, the whole herd broke over 

 the fence, and came tearing down to the 

 house " like mad." It did not seem to be 

 an assault with intent to kill, but was, per- 

 haps, a stratagem resorted to in order to 

 separate the herd and expose the lambs, 

 which hugged the cattle very closely. When 

 he occasionally alighted upon the oaks that 

 stood near, the branch could be seen to 

 sway and bend beneath him. Finally, as a 

 rifleman started out in pursuit of him, he 

 launched into the air, set his wings, and 

 sailed away southward. A few years after- 

 ward, in January, another eagle passed 

 through the same locality, alighting in a field 

 near some dead animal, but tarried briefly. 



So much by way of identification. The 

 bird is common to the northern parts of both 

 hemispheres, and places its eyrie on high, 

 precipitous rocks. A pair built on an in- 

 accessible shelf of rock along the Hudson 

 for eight successive years. A squad of Rev- 

 olutionary soldiers also found a nest along 

 this river, and had an adventure with the 

 bird that came near costing one of their 

 number his life. His comrades let him down 

 by a rope to secure the eggs or young, when 

 he was attacked by the female eagle with 



