The Zoologist — April, 1869. 161 3 



Bald or Whiteheaded Eagle (Haliaeetns leiicocephalus, Liim.) — 

 Tliis handsome bird is called the " grepe" in Newfoundland. It is 

 tolerably common, but as the settlers increase, this noble bird 

 gradually, but surely, decreases. Twenty years ago, or even less, 

 several eyries existed in the immediate neighbourhood of Cow Head, 

 but at present the sites only remain ; it is Said to breed on a peculiar 

 island-rock, called " The Prior," in the mouth of the Bay of Islands. 

 I have, on more than one occasion, seen the " grepe" fishing at Cow 

 Head and Bonne Bay, and obtained one egg from the latter place. 

 The nest was built in a large pine-tree, and contained two eggs — one 

 addled: the egg is very similar to that of H. albicilla.* The bird is 

 only a summer migrant to Newfoundland. 



It is not improbable that Aquila canadensis may eventually be 

 found to visit Newfoundland. 



American Osprey, or Fish Hawk (Pandion carolinensis, Gmel.) — 

 This fine species is common in Newfoundland : it is a summer 

 migrant, coming in May and retiring in the early part of October. 

 Often, on a calm summer's evening, as I lay on the grass smoking my 

 pipe, have I watched two or three pairs of these birds fishing in the 

 harbour. Suddenly the slow circling flight is stopped, — the quick eye 

 discerns its scaly prey, — the body assumes an almost vertical position ; 

 the wings for a moment vibrate rapidly, as if to give their owner 

 impetus, and then with almost unerring aim, like an arrow from a 

 bow, the osprey drops into the water. In a iew seconds he re- 

 appears, and rising a few feet from the water, the rapid vibration of 

 wings is again observable, but this time only to drive the claws more 

 firmly into the sides of his finny morsel, with which he slowly sails 

 away to some high tree in the woods, where probably is a uest, — 



" Itself a burden for the tallest tree." 



This beautiful hawk does not escape the ruthless " gunners" in New- 

 foundland, although utterly useless after death to the settlers. The 

 osprey builds in trees in the extensive woods, either near the sea-coast 

 or some inland lake. The eggs which I obtained from Bonne Bay 

 cannot be distinguished from European specimens received from the 

 late Mr. Wheelwright. Having no English specimens of the osprey 



* 111 the Pioc. Zool. Soc. for 1863 (p. 252) Dr. Sclater recorded H. albicilla as 

 a Newfoundland bird, an error which he corrected in the ' Proceedings' of the same 

 Saciet)- lor 1865 (p. 701). 



