54 WASHINGTON SEA-EAGLE. 



border and divide Green River, in Kentucky, near its junction 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 

 perpendicular, a quantity of white ordure, which I attributed to owls that 

 might have resorted thither. I mentioned the circumstance to my com- 

 panions, 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 (Falco 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-Eagle'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 companions. The slightest 

 murmur had been treason from them. They entered into my feelings, and, 

 although little interested, gazed with me. In a few minutes the other parent 

 joined her mate, and from the difference in size (the female of rapacious birds 

 being largest), we knew this to be the mother bird. She also had brought 

 a fish; but, more cautious than her mate, she glanced her quick and piercing 

 eye around, and instantly perceived that her abode had been discovered. 

 She dropped her prey, with a loud shriek communicated the alarm to the 

 male, and, hovering with him over our heads, kept up a growling cry, to 

 intimidate us from our suspected design. This watchful solicitude I have 

 ever found peculiar to the female: — must I be understood to speak only of 

 birds? 



The young having concealed themselves, we went and picked up the fish 

 which the mother had let fall. It was a white perch, weighing about 5^ lbs. 

 The upper part of the head was broken in, and the back torn by the talons 



