EAGLES. 187 



ail over, with the exception of the interior feathers^ 

 which were whitish. The cere was also wliitish. 

 The bill was of a darkish colour to the cere — 

 that of the bald eagle is yellow. 



Three eaglets were found in a bald eagle's nest 

 at Lewiston, and I was informed that some years 

 ago four were caught in an aerie on the highest 

 button-wood tree in the forests of that country* 

 — The nest was as large as a cock of hay. 

 In making it, the old eagles made use of the limbs 

 of the tree which were broken off as thick as a 

 man's wrist. The aerie had been there twenty 

 years, except during the late war, when it was 

 built on a tree in an open field, the inhabitants 

 having moved off. The tree was cut down for 

 the purpose of getting the young. One of them 

 was carried to the village, and the old ones follow- 

 ed it to the house where it was kept, recognized 

 it, and flew about the place of its confinement. 

 One of the other eaglets was carried to the fort, 

 and it is said to have been larger than the other. 

 Whenever a stranger appeared, they ruffled their 

 heads, and indicated great irritation. They 

 made a mournful noise when annoyed and were 

 very ferocious. One of them had engaged the 

 aflfections of a dog, which brought him garbage 

 whenever he could obtain it. 



