THE BALD OR WHITE-HEADED EAGLE, 215 
light and a deep brown, and below with brown and white. The legs, toes, 
and cere are blue, the eyes golden yellow, and the beak and claws black. 
THE noble bird which is represented on page 242 is celebrated as being 
the type which has been chosen by the Americans as the emblem of 
their nation, 
The name of BALD or WHITE-HEADED EAGLE has been applied to this 
bird on account of the snowy white colour of the head and neck, a peculi- 
arity which renders it a most conspicuous bird when at large in its native 
land. The remainder of the body is a deep chocolate brown, inclining to 
black along the back. The tail and upper tail-coverts are of the same white 
hue as the head and neck. In its earlier stages of existence the creature is 
of more sombre tints not obtaining the beautifully white head and tail until 
it is four years of age. 
The nest of the Bald Eagle is generally made upon some lofty tree, and in 
the course of years becomes of very great size, as the bird is in the habit of 
laying her eggs year after year in the same nest, and making additions of 
fresh building materials at every fresh breeding season. She commences 
this task at a very early period of the year, depositing her eggs in January, 
and hatching her young by the middle of February. 
It is always a very affectionate bird, tends its young as long as they are 
helpless and unfledged, and will not forsake them even if the tree on which 
they rest he enveloped in flames. 
The Bald Eagle often takes advantage of the fishing talents of the Osprey 
by robbing the lesser bird of its prey. The Eagle is. in truth, no very great 
fisher, but is very fond of fish, and finds that the easiest mode of obtaining 
the desired dainty is to rob those who are better qualified than himself for 
the sport. 
The Bald Eagle is very accommodating in his appetite, and will eat 
almost anything that has ever possessed animal life. He is by no means 
averse to carrion, and has been seen seated regally upon a dead horse, 
keeping at a distance a horde of vultures which were collected round the 
carcase, and not permitting them to approach until he had gorged himself 
to the full. Another individual was seen by Wilson in a similar state of 
things. He had taken possession of a heap of dead squirrels that had been 
accidentally drowned, and prevented any other bird, or beast of prey, from 
approaching his treasure. He is especially fond of lambs, and is more than 
suspected of aiding the death of many a‘sickly sheep by the dexterous use 
of his beak and claws. ; 
The Bald Eagle is found throughout the whole of North America, and 
may be seen haunting the greater part of the sea-coasts, as well as the 
mouths of the large rivers. : ; 
The common BuzzaRD is one of our handsomest Falconide, and is one 
which, although banished from ihe greater part of England, is still found 
plentifully in many parts of Scotland and Ireland. . ; 
The plumage of this bird is looser and more downy than is seen in the 
generality of the hawk tribe, and bears a certain resemblance to that of the 
owl. This peculiarity is explained by the habits of the bird, which will 
presently be narrated. The average length of a Buzzard is from twenty to 
twenty-two inches, and the tinting of its plumage is extremely variable, even 
in adult birds. The usual colouring is as follows. The back and whole of 
the upper surface is a rich brown, becoming lighter on the head and neck, 
and diversified with longitudinal streaks of the darker hue. The tail is also 
dark brown, but is varied with stripes of a lighter colour, and the primary 
feathers of the wings are nearly black. The under portions of the body are 
grey-white, m-~ked on the neck, chest, and abdomen with spots and streaks 
