186 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 
tion with the Ohio. The river is there bordered by a range 
of high cliffs, which for some distance follow its windings. I 
observed on the rocks which, at that place, are nearly per. 
pendicular, a quantity of white ordure, which I attributed to 
owls that might have resorted thither. I mentioned the cir- 
sumstance to my companions, when one of them, who lived 
within a mile and a half of the place, told me it was from the 
nest of the Brown Eagle, meaning the White-headed Eagle 
(Faleo leucocephalus) in its immature state. I assured him 
this could not be, and remarked that neither the old nor the 
young birds of that species ever build in such places, but 
always in trees. Although he could not answer my objection, 
he stoutly maintained that a brown eagle of some kind, above 
the usual size, had built there; and added that he had espied 
the nest some days before, and had seen one of the old birds 
dive and catch a fish. This he thought strange, having, till 
then, always observed that both Brown Eagles and Bald 
Eagles procured this kind of food by robbing the fish-hawks. 
He said that if I felt particularly anxious to know what nest 
it was, I might soon satisfy myself, as the old birds would 
come and feed their young with fish, for he had seen them do 
so before. 
In high expectation, I seated myself about a hundred yards 
from the foot of the rock. Never did time pass more slowly. 
I could not help betraying the most impatient curiosity, for 
my hopes whispered it was a Sea Hagle’s nest. Two long 
hours had elapsed before the old bird made his appearance, 
which was announced to us by the loud hissings of the two 
young ones, which crawled to the extremity of the hole to 
receive a fine fish. I had a perfect view of this noble bird as 
he held himself to the edging rock, hanging like the Barn, 
Bank, or Social Swallow, his tail spread, and his wings partly 
so. I trembled lest a word should escape from my com- 
panions. The slightest murmur had been treason from them. 
They entered into my feelings, and, although little interested, 
