DIRECTORY TO BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 167 



World; in the U. S. breeds chiefly in mountainous parts of 

 unsettled districts.. Nests on cliffs; eggs, 2, white spotted 

 with brown. Resident. 



F. FISH EAGL.ES. Haliaetidae. 



Large birds with the tarsus naked and the tail at least 

 white in adults ; food, very largely fish ; flight, strong and di- 

 rect, wing-beats rather slow; often circle high in air. Cries, 

 harsh and loud. Nests often in trees, sometimes on cliffs; 

 eggs, 2 to 3, white, unspotted. 



a. White-tailed Eagles. Haliaetus. 



Characters as above. 



1. BALD EAGLE, H. LEUCOCEPHALUS. Male, 32.00; 

 female, 37.00; dark-brown; head, neck, and tail, white; iris, 

 bill, and feet, yellow. Young, brown throughout. U. S., 

 breeding in the unsettled districts. Alarm note, a cackling 

 cry. Frequently robs the osprey of fish, when it moves with 

 a rapid flight with quick wing-beats. Resident, fig. 204. 



1*. NORTHERN BALD EAGLE, H. L. ALASCANUS. Dif- 

 fers from 1 in being larger. N. A. north of the U. S. 



2. GRAY SEA EAGLE, H. ALBICILLA. Differs from 1 

 in having the head always brown. Northern Europe, Asia, 

 and Greenland. 



O. OSPREYS. JPandionidae. 



Large birds with strong feet and naked tarsi, very long 

 wings and rather short tails, which feed wholly on fish. 

 Flight, strong, direct with slow wing-beats. Often sail in cir- 

 cles over water; fish by dropping directly downward and the 

 secured fish is carried head forward. Nests, in trees ; eggs, 

 3 to 5, creamy thickly spotted and blotched* with reddish. 

 Cries, shrill, whistling screams. 



a. Fish Hawks. Pandion. 



Characters as above. 



1. AMERICAN OSPREY, P. CAROLINENSIS. Male, 22.00; 

 female, 24.00; sides of head and under parts, white with a 

 band of spots crossing breast ; line through eye and above, 



