THE BALD-HEADED EAGLE. 551 



on the 17th of that month, as she sat on her eggs, on which the 

 chicks had made considerable progress. 



"The nest, which in some instances is of great size, is usually 

 placed on a very tall tree, destitute of branches to a considerable 

 height, but by no means always a dead one. It is never seen on 

 rocks. It is composed of sticks from three to five feet in length, 

 large pieces of turf, rank weeds, and Spanish moss in abundance, 

 whenever that substance happens to be near. When finished, it 

 measures from five to six feet in diameter ; and so great is the 

 accumulation of materials, that it sometimes measures the same 

 in depth, it being occupied for a great number of years in suc- 

 cession, and receiving some augmentation each season. When 

 placed in a naked tree, between the forks of the branches, it is 

 conspicuously seen at a great distance. 



" The eggs, which are from two to four, more commonly two 

 or three, are of a dull white color, and equally rounded at both 

 ends, some of them being occasionally granulated. Incubation 

 lasts for more than three weeks ; but I have not been able to as- 

 certain its precise duration, as I have observed the female, on dif- 

 ferent occasions, sit for a few days on the nest before laying the 

 first egg. Of this I assured myself by climbing to the nest every 

 day in succession during her temporary absence — a rather peril- 

 ous undertaking when the bird is sitting. 



" I have seen the young birds not larger than middle - sized 

 pullets. At this time they are covered with a soft cottony kind 

 of down, their bills and legs appearing disproportionately large. 

 Their first plumage is of a grayish color, tinted with brown of 

 different depths of tint, and before the parents drive them off 

 from the nest they are fully fledged. 



" I once caught three young eagles of this species, when fully 

 fledged, by having the tree on which their nest was cut down. It 

 caused great trouble to Secure them, as they could fly and scram- 

 ble much faster than any of our party could run. They, howev- 

 er, gradually became fatigued, and at length were so exhausted 

 as to offer no resistance when we were securing them with cords. 

 This happened on the border of the Lake Pontchartrain, in the 

 month of April. The parents did not think fit to come within 

 gunshot of the tree while the axe was at work." 



We will now turn to the second of these celebrated ornitholo- 

 gists, and see what he has to say on the nesting of this splendid 

 bird: 



