1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



493 



sentative. This noble and daring bird is found 

 throughout the northern parts of both continents, 

 though nowhere common, inhabiting rough, moun- 

 tainous regions, generally remote from man, and 

 though a terror to the wild game of the forests, 

 seldom molesting the property of the farmer. A 

 few individuals, according to newspaper reports, 

 are killed in different parts of New England ev- 

 ery year, and the fact is always recorded as a thing 

 worthy of notice. It is said to breed in almost 

 inaccessible cliffs. The Ring-Tailed Eagle, (Falco 

 fulvus, Wils.,) formerly supposed to be a distinct 

 species, is now known to be a young Golden 

 Eagle of the first year ; but Wilson, supposing 

 it distinct, in describing it, thus speaks of it : 

 "This noble bird, in strength, spirit and activity, 

 ranks among the first of its tribe. It is found, 

 though sparingly dispersed, over the whole tem- 

 perate and arctic regions, particularly the lat- 

 ter ; breeding in high, precipitous rocks, always 

 preferring a mountainous country." The adult 

 Golden Eagle is three feet in length, and mea- 

 sures upwards of seven feet across the expanded 

 wings. The color of the head and neck is a deep 

 brown, bordered with tawny or ferruginous ; gen- 

 eral color of the rest of the plumage, dark brown. 

 The lofty, soaring flight of the Eagle is proverbial, 

 and of none is it less so than of the present spe- 

 cies. 



The Washington Eagle, or Bird of Washington, 

 {Halicetus Washiagtoni, Aud.,) is a very rare 

 bird, and the largest of its tribe. It was first seen 

 by Audubon in 1814, and by him its existence 

 and history was for the first time made known to 

 the world. It was not until some five years after 

 this date, however, that he was successful in pro- 

 curing a specimen, though in the mean time his 

 ever watchful eye several times caught sight of it 

 in his excursions, and only a heavy storm pre- 

 vented his securing it some two years sooner. 

 This truly majestic bird measures three feet seven 

 inches in length, SLwdi tea feet two //ic/tes in extent ; 

 and from Mr. Audubon's description seems to be 

 quite distinct from any other species, though in 

 color somewhat resembling the young of the Sea 

 Eagle, {Falco alhicilla, Linn.,) of Europe. Though 

 exceedingly rare, it seems to be widely distribut- 

 ed in the northern parts of America, breeding on 

 high cliffs, and subsisting chiefly on fish, which it 

 takes with ease, in the manner of the Fish Hawk 

 or Osprey, and not by plundering this noble bird 

 of its hard earned prey, as is the practice of the 

 Bald Eagle. In the zoological report of Massa- 

 chusetts it is spoken of as occasionally seen here 

 in winter, and from an account I have recently 

 received of an immense Eagle killed in Berkshire 

 county, I hardly hesitate to consider it the same. 

 Interesting extracts from Mr. Audubon's history 

 of this bird might be given, did space permit. In 

 reference to the name he has bestowed upon it, 

 he observes : "The name which I have chosen for 

 this new species of Eagle, 'The Bird of Wash- 

 ington,' may, by some, be considered as prepos- 

 terous and unfit ; but as it is indisputably the no- 

 blest bird of its genus that has yet been discov- 

 ered in the United States, I trust I shall be al- 

 lowed to honor it with the name of one yet nobler, 

 who was the saviour of his country, and whose 

 name will ever be dear to it. * * * * jf 

 America has reason to be proud of her Washing- 

 ton, so has she to be proud of her Great Eagle." 



The White Headed Eagle, or Bald Eagle, {Hal- 

 icetus lucoceplialus, Sav. ; Falco hicoceplialus, 

 Linn.,) the young birds being also known as the 

 Gray Eagle, is found throughout the northern 

 parts of both continents, but is said to be more 

 numerous in North America than elsewhere, and 

 being our chosen national emblem, is, perhaps, the 

 more worthy of particular notice. Concerning 

 this daring tyrant of the air, I wish I could pre- 

 sent the reader with the felicitous descriptions of 

 both Wilson and Audubon, but must be content 

 with condensing from the elaborate accounts of 

 these admirable authors the more important points 

 in its history, with perhaps brief extracts in their 

 own words. At certain seasons, this species is 

 generally dispersed over the New England States, 

 and is the most common of our Eagles ; but dur- 

 ing summer is more confined to the sea-shores, 

 or the larger rivers and lakes, to obtain the fish 

 that form its chief food at this season, and it is 

 said to be always quite abundant about the Falls 

 of Niagara. Geese, swans, ducks and other M-ater 

 fowls, together with pigs, lambs, and sometimes 

 young fawns, furnish it v/ith abundant food dur- 

 ing the remainder of the year, and which general- 

 ly fall an easy prey ; but in times of great scar- 

 city it will descend to partake of the most putrid 

 carrion ; and the collected groups of gormandiz- 

 ing vultures, as Wilson observes, "on the ap- 

 proach of this dignified personage, instantly dis- 

 perse, and make way for their master, waiting his 

 departure in solemn silence, and at a respectful 

 distance, on the adjacent trees." His great 

 strength, unequalled power of flight, reckless dar- 

 ing and cool courage, render him conspicuous at 

 all times among his fellow-inhabitants of the air ; 

 while his cruel, overbearing and tyrannical dispo- 

 sition is not a less distinguishing characteristic. 

 And though so well qualified to procure his own 

 subsistence, no sooner does spring open, and the 

 Fish Hawk appear over our lakes and rivers, and 

 along the sea-shore, than he at once becomes a 

 selfish oppressor of this admirable bird, system- 

 atically watching his manoeuvers, and robbing him 

 of his well-earned prey, whenever his appetite 

 prompts him, subsisting for months almost wholly 

 on the labors of this regal fisher. His manner of 

 capturing the swan in the air, and the pair acting 

 in concert to worry the ducks and geese that, by 

 diving beneath the waters, seem able to elude 

 these destroyers — the male and female darting 

 alternately upon them as they rise to the surface 

 — at once evince the cunning and perseverance 

 of this bird. 



This Eagle breeds in trees, building a large 

 nest of coarse sticks three to five feet in length, 

 pieces of turf, rank weeds, &c., the whole forming 

 a ponderous mass, six or more feet in diameter, 

 and often as many deep, and visible at great 

 distances. The same nest is often occupied for 

 several years in succession. Incubation often 

 commences in January ; and while the young are 

 in the nest, it is perilous to attempt an approach 

 to it. 



The White-Headed Eagle measures three feet or 

 a little less in length ; extent of wings generally 

 seven feet. Color of the head, neck and tail, in 

 the adult birds, pure white, sometimes inclining 

 to yellowish; and the whiteness of the head 

 probably suggested the epithet hald, applied to 

 this eagle, as the whole head is thickly clothed 



