CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 269 



352. Bald Eagle. 



HalicBetus leticocephaliis alascanus C. H. Townsend. 1899. 



Though typical leucocephalus probably occurs in eastern Canada the 

 references cannot, in default of specimens, be separated and all are 

 left here. Mr. Fleming finds that all Toronto specimens are refer- 

 able to alascamis. 



A pair of this species was seen on August 17th, 1896, by Mr. A. 

 P. Low near Ungava bay and one by Mr. Spreadborough at East 

 point, James bay, June 8th, 1904. Preble says this bird is occa- 

 sionally seen at Fort Churchill, Hudson bay. Though far from 

 common, it breeds in suitable situations in Newfoundland, Nova 

 Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, and westward 

 to the Pacific. In its northern range in the Mackenzie river valley it 

 descends to the Arctic coast. It is extremely common on the coasts 

 of British Columbia and very common in the interior of the pro- 

 vince. Passing to the north it becomes still more abundant on the 

 Aleutian islands. 



Very common on Queen Charlotte islands in 1900. A number of 

 specimens were seen at Lake Clark, Swan lake, Malchatna river and 

 Becharof lake, Alaska, in 1902. (Osgood.) Common along the 

 Inside passage, especially near Wrangell narrows, Alaska. In the 

 interior this bird is much rarer though I saw one at Log Cabin and 

 another at Bennett, Yukon. We saw the birds occasionally about 

 lakes and once or twice along the river, the last being observed near 

 the White river, July 31st. (Bishop.) One set of eggs taken at 

 MuUer bay, Alaska, May 22nd. (Anderson.) The natives say it is 

 occasionally seen about the Pribilof islands, Bering sea. (Palmer.) 



While collecting on the Bay of Chaleurs at Port Daniels near 

 Gasp6 in August, 1882, the writer amused himself watching a fish 

 hawk trying to supply its young with flat-fish caught in the shallow- 

 waters of the bay. At some distance from the shore on the margin 

 of the forest were a series of large trees that had been killed by fire. 

 In a tall one of these an eagle usually stationed himself and kept 

 an eye on the hawk. As soon as the hawk caught a fish the eagle 

 would move out in pursuit and then would commence a series of 

 gyrations by both birds. The aim of the eagle was to get above 

 the hawk and if he failed to accomplish this the hawk won. If 



