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THE WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 



Falco leucocepualus, Linn. 



PLATE CXXVI. YouHR. 



Although I have already given a long account of the adult of this spe- 

 cies, in the first volume of my biographies, I have thought it necessary, 

 not only to figure the young, but also to ofEer you some of the observa- 

 tions relative to the habits of this handsome and powerful bird, which I 

 have collected in the course of my long rambles. These I select from 

 among the many recorded in my journals, giving the preference to those 

 which seem most likely to interest you. 



St John's River, East Florida, 1th February 1832. — I observed four 

 nests of the White-headed Eagle this day, while the United States' schooner 

 Spark lay at anchor not far from the shore. They were at no great dis- 

 tance from each other, and all placed on tall live pine-trees. Our com- 

 mander, Lieutenant Piercey of our Navy, having at that time httle to do, 

 as he lay waiting the flood-tide, a boat was manned, and several of us 

 went on shore. On approaching the nearest nest, we saw two young birds 

 standing erect on its edge, while their parents were perched on the branches 

 above them. As we went nearer, the old ones flew off" silently, while the 

 young did not seem to pay the least attention to us, this being a part of 

 the woods where probably no white man had ever before put his foot, and 

 the Eaglets having as yet had no experience of the barbarity of the race. 

 The captain took the first shot : one of the birds was severely wounded, 

 and tumbled half way from the nest towards the ground, when it recover- 

 ed, flapped its wings, and suddenly sailed away until we lost sight of it 

 as it flew into the woods. I marked its course, however. One of the 

 sailors was told to shoot the other, which had not moved from its posi- 

 tion ; he missed it ; and as I saw it make movements indicative of its sur- 

 prise and fear, I fired, but wounded it so slightly in one pinion, that it 

 was enabled to fly ofi" in an irregular manner towards the river. This I 

 judged was the first attempt it had ever made to fly. I followed its course : 

 with my eye, and after in vain waiting a long time for a shot at the old birds, 

 I went in search of it, while the rest of the party pursued the other. After 

 some time I reached our boat, and at the same instant was surprised to 



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