BALD EAGLE. 209. 



Genus HALI^ETUS Savigny. 

 HALI^ETUS LEUCOCEPHALUS (Linn.). 



150. Bald Eagle. (352) 



Dark brown; head and tail, white after the third year; before this, these 

 parts like the rest of the plumage. About the size of the last species. Imma- 

 ture birds average larger than adxilts. 



Hab. — North America at large, south to Mexico. 



Nest, of huge dimensions, built of sticks, placed on a tree. 



Eggs, two, white, often soiled by their surroundings. 



This is more frequently seen than the preceding species, and may 

 be considered resident, for it is often observed during winter, and 

 breeds in suitable places throughout the country, usually on or near 

 the shore of a lake. In a letter from Dr. McCofmick, dated Breeze 

 Place, Pelee Island, June 12th, 1884, the writer says : "I chanced 

 to observe an interesting incident a few da5's since, showing what 

 looked very much like reasoning powers in a Bald-headed Eagle. 

 The wind was blowing quite strong from the west, and the eagle had 

 caught a large fish. Rising in the air with his dying prey in his 

 talons, he tried to fly directly to windward, towards his nest, but the 

 wind was too strong, and after several unsuccessful attempts, he 

 dropped the fish (now dead) into the water. Then flying off toward 

 the north for some distance, apparently to try the wind in that direc- 

 tion, and finding he could progress more easily, he turned round, 

 went back to the fish, took it up again in his claws, and flying north 

 with a beam wind, made the shore. Then in shelter of a friendly 

 grove of trees, he flew away toward the west and his nest, with his 

 scaly treasure, thus exercising what appeared to be a reasoning 

 process of cause and effect." 



A favorite haunt of this species used to be along the Niagara 

 River below the Falls, where they would sit on the dead trees by the- 

 river bank and watch for any dead or dying animals that came down 

 the stream. This habit becoming known to collectors, a constant 

 watch was kept for the appearance of the birds. Many were picked 

 off with the rifle, and although a few still visit the old haunts, their 

 ntimbers are greatly reduced. 



Twenty years ago, I knew a youth who shot one of these birds as 



it flew over him while he lay concealed among the rushes on the 



shore of Hamilton Bay watching for ducks. On taking it up, he 



found an unusual appendage dangling from the nesk, which proved, 



14 



