i8 ^^1 Bangs, A'erc/ Birds from Eastern North America. I^r 



CO.MPARATIVK M liASUREMENTS. 



(These measurements give but a faint idea of the actual differences in 

 bulk of the two Eagles.) 



Remarks. — The Washington Eagle occupie.s the whole of 

 northeastern North America north of the lower Austral zone. 

 The southern Bald Eagle occurs only in the lower Austral zone 

 (Fla., Ga., S. Car., La., etc.). 



The two eastern races of the Bald Eagle were clearly seen by 

 Baird, who, however, supposed 7vashmgto?ii to be the more south- 

 ern, while in reality it is the northern form. Since Baird's time 

 ivashmgtoni has sunk, wholly without cause, into synonymy. The 

 peculiar scaling of the tarsus and foot of Audubon's figure was 

 either an accident in drawing or was abnormal. Audubon's figure 

 shows the character of bill of washingtoni admirably as does 

 Catesby's that of the southern form, true leucocephahts. 



No one familiar with these two birds in life can have failed to 

 notice the great difference in size between them. The little fel- 

 lows that breed in Florida and Georgia are often scarcely larger 

 than Red-tailed Hawks and hardly need comparison with the 

 magnificent Eagle of the north. There is also a difference in 

 habits. The Florida Eagle is a noted Duck catcher, pouncing 

 upon them in the water, and the appearance of an Eagle on the 

 wing is enough to drive all the Ducks scuttling in every direction 

 from a bay or creek that he is approaching. 



The Washington Eagle never, so far as I know, attempts to catch 

 a Duck, contenting himself with fish or carrion. The Ducks 

 know this and allow him to pass over them as unnoticed as a 



' Coll. of Wm. Brewster, Cambridge, Mass. 



