BIRDS'-NESTS. 165 



such fury that he was obliged to defend him- 

 self with his knife. In doing so, by a mis- 

 stroke, he nearly severed the rope that held 

 him, and was drawn up by a single strand 

 from his perilous position. Audubon, from 

 whom this anecdote is taken, figures and de- 

 scribes this bird as the golden eagle, though 

 I have little doubt that Wilson was right, 

 and that the golden eagle is a distinct species. 



The sea-eagle also builds on high rocks, 

 according to Audubon, though Wilson de- 

 scribes the nest of one which he saw near 

 Great Egg Harbor, in the top of a large 

 yellow pine. It was a vast pile of sticks, 

 sods, sedge, grass, reeds, etc., etc., five or 

 six feet high by four broad, and with little 

 or no concavity. It had been used for many 

 years, and he was told that the eagles made 

 it a sort of home or lodging-place in all 

 seasons. This agrees with the description 

 which Audubon gives t)f the nest of the bald 

 eagle. There is evidently a little confusion 

 on both sides. 



The eagle in all cases uses one nest, with 

 more or less repair, for several years. Many 

 of our common birds do the same. The 

 birds may be divided, with respect to this 

 and kindred points, into five general classes. 



