444 AVES— EAGLE. 



differed from the rest of its genus. Mr Wilson had confounded it with the 

 bald or white headed eagle, one of the young of which he has given the 

 figure of, to represent it. But I am strongly inclined to believe, that he 

 never saw this bird ; for it must be acknowledged that he was a very close 

 and accurate observer, and, had he met with it, could hardly have fallen 

 into so great an error, unless he was deceived by the near resemblance 

 which the young of these two species bear to each other in plumage, 

 although their difference in size is very great ; but, in the old birds, the 

 likeness ceases to exist; both in habits and appearance they are totally 

 dissimilar. 



" The sea eagle of America is full one fourth larger in size, than any 

 female specimen of the other kind I ever met with, old or young. In the 

 United States, from Massachusetts to Louisiana on the seaboard, or as high 

 as the mouth of the Missouri to the north-west, (I speak only of the extent 

 of country I have visited, and where I have seen them,) these birds are very 

 rare. This will appear to all, when I say that during my many long 

 peregrinations, more than eight or nine I never found, and only one nest. 

 The sea eagle of European naturalists, of which Mr Bewick has given a 

 description, and also a figure, in a small wood cut, is more like the species 

 in question, as to form and plumage, than any other. In mentioning this 

 gentleman, I cannot forbear expressing the high estimation in which I hold 

 his splendid productions ; I have no hesitation in pronouncing him a most 

 elegant and faithful copier of nature, and the very best illustrator of English 

 ornithology. Mr Wilson's figure is not so well done ; it seems to be taken 

 from a stuffed specimen. 



" My next meeting with this bird was a few years afterwards, whilst 

 engaged in collecting cray-fish, in one of those flats Avhich border and divide 

 Green River, in Kentucky, near its junction with the Ohio, from the range 

 of high cliffs v/hich, for some distance, follow the meanders of the stream. 

 I observed on the rocks, which, at that place, are nearly perpendicular, a 

 quantity of white ordure. — Thinking that owls resorted thither, I mentioned 

 it to my companions, when one of them, who lived within a mile and a half 

 of the place, told me that it was from the nest of the brown eagle ; meaning 

 the young of the white-headed eagle, with which he was acquainted. I 

 assured him this could not be; and remarked that the old, as well as young, 

 of that species never built in such places, but always in trees. Although he 

 could not answer my objection, he stoutly maintained that a brown eagle 

 of some kind, above the usual size, had built there ; he added that he had 

 discovered the nest some days before, and had seen one of the old birds dive 

 and catch a fish. This he thought strange, having, till then, always observ- 

 ed that brown and bald eagles procured this kind of food by robbing the fish- 

 hawks ; but if I felt particularly anxious to know what nest it was, I might 

 soon satisfy myself, as the old birds would come and feed their young with 

 fish; he had seen them do so before. In high expectation, I seated myself 



