686 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



Pandion haliaetus, (L.) Savigny — Fish HawTc or Osprey. 



A very few noted, chiefly on the Canadian. In connection with the 

 well-known parasitism of the Bald Eagle and the Osprey, an occnrrence 

 of the kind may be here noticed without being deemed irrelevant, inas- 

 much as it shows how illy disposed is the Hawk to furnishing unrewarded 

 the Bird of Liberty's provender. A friend who resides near Baltimore, 

 upon one of the small inlets of the Chesapeake Bay, was recently taking 

 a walk near the water's edge, when he noticed a Fish tlawk rise from the 

 water with a prize in his mouth, and, after getting a short distance inland, 

 beset upon by an Eagle, evidently waiting for a meal, and a quiet spec- 

 tator of the fishing. Being attacked and compelled to give it up, he 

 dropped it, which the Eagle, catching in the air, flew away with, ap- 

 parently disregarding the pangs of a guilty conscience. The next day 

 he noticed, a repetition of the tishing operation by the Hawk, and on 

 the Eagle's approach as before, he promptly dropped it again, and 

 quickly disappeared. The Eagle caught it as before in the air ; but, 

 strangely, as he thought, let it go, and it fell to the ground. Being 

 generally interested in nature, the gentleman concluded to go up and 

 examine the cause of the unusual conduct of the thieving " Emblem of 

 Freedom", our Great North American Bird. He did so, and, reaching 

 the spot, found the supposed flsh a piece of dried manure. It was the 

 old story of "Revenge is sweet", etc., but at once suggests the conun- 

 drum, "Is there naught save mere instinct granted by nature to her 

 creatures?" 



Haliaetus leucocephalus, (L.) Savigny. — W kite-headed or Bald 

 Eagle. 



Met with several times in the caiion of Red River. On Mulberry 

 Creek, June 17, a nest of this species was found containing two young 

 about a week old. They were taken to camp, added to the list of pets 

 of the soldiers, and brought in on our return. It was over a month 

 before they acquired the necessary strength or learned to use their legs. 

 Of a generally uncouth appearance, their awkward look was heightened 

 by squatting in the most ungraceful manner upon their " elbows ", as the 

 soldiers remarked, the whole tarsus resting on the ground, and their toes 

 and claws continually in their way, for they were evidently conscious of 

 having no place to put them so as to be at ease. This is the one of all the 

 feathered tribe most valuable to the red man. The birds seen were con- 

 sequently and naturally, to no small degree, mistrustful on our approach. 

 Every chief and young buck of a tribe must needs have his war-bonnet ; 

 and as the quills of the Eagle alone will suffice for such purpose, they 

 are always in demand and eagerly sought for. The purchaser of Indian 

 trophies and things has consequently to pay well on his adding this 

 curiosity to his collection. 



PoLTBORUS THARUS AUDUBONi, (Cass.) Ridg. — Audubonh Caraeara. 

 But a single one of the species observed near Lower Mulberry Creek, 



