THE OOLOGIST 48 
Golden Eagles. 
In the hot, foot hill valleys, of the 
southern portion of Santa Clara Coun- 
ty, California, the Golden Eagles are 
said to have been numerous a few 
years ago. This may be true today, 
though such has not been my exper- 
ience this season. 
I did, however, find a single nest of 
this species, which on March 13th was 
apparently finished, but as yet unoc- 
cupied. In passing, it might be men- 
tioned that though this nest was of 
the usual type, and in an oak, it was 
only fifteen feet from the ground, 
On March 31st, I again visited this 
region, and about noon entered the 
little grove of oaks in which the nest 
tree grew. I noticed that the Califor- 
nia Jays were making considerable 
noise, but thought nothing of it until 
I had climbed to the nest. It contain- 
ed one perfectly fresh egg, probably 
just laid. About one-fourth of the 
shell had been broken away, and the 
chips, which were about the size of a 
dime, were scattered about the nest. 
The shell was nearly emptied of its 
contents, some spilled and the rest 
eaten. This was evidently the work of 
the Jays. 
This seems very strange to me, 
where were these supposedly fierce, 
strong eagles that they let these Jays 
rob them as soon as their first egg 
was laid? They certainly kept out of 
sight while I was around. Of course 
Jays are unquestionably bold, but 
what is the explanation of the eagle’s 
conduct? They certainly were not 
afraid—was it that they did not care, 
or was it that the jays were more 
clever than they, and caught them off 
guard? Again, is it a usual thing for 
these ever thieving Jays to select such 
large birds for their victims? Cer- 
tainly 2 number of Hawks nests in the 
vicinity showed no such goings on. 
Perhaps some one with more exper- 
ience can answer some of these 
things. If so, I would like to hear 
from them. Cc. K. SNYDER. 
Oro 
Bald Eagle. 
The Bald Eagle commences nest 
building in the middle Atlantic States 
in the Fall and Winter and deposits its 
eggs from February 21st to March 5th, 
and lays from one to three eggs to a 
set, a blue white in color. The nests 
I have climbed to have ranged in 
height from forty feet to one hundred 
twenty feet, and placed in the largest 
trees in each vicinity, Chestnut Pin 
Oak, White Oak, Pine and gum trees 
are the prevailing trees for sites. 
Have never known an eagle to attack 
anyone, but in taking a set on March 
6, 1910 from a Chestnut tree seventy 
feet up, the female made_ several 
swoops and dives near me, and made 
the air sing on her upward turn. She 
also made many acrobatic movements . 
in the air while I was investigating 
near and about the tree. 
I never climb up to an eagle’s nest 
until I am positive she is sitting. If 
you climb before the bird has com- 
pleted the set, she will return and 
preak the egg or eggs, and if she has 
not deposited any at all, she will not 
do so that year. On two occasions I 
have known them to desert the nest 
for good. I even knew of one nest be- 
ing deserted when I climbed a tree 
near by and peeped into the nest. 
Those birds never did come back. 
Once I knew them to come back to a 
tree after an absence of four years. 
Once I was completely bewildered 
when on February 27th or 28th, 1906, 
I climbed to a nest that contained one 
egg. I left it for a complete set of 
course, but I will never leave another. 
I went back in about five days only to 
find a broken shell in the nest. The 
