BALD EAGLE. 11 



of his finny prey. These attacks are of such common occurrence in 

 some localities that they are taken by the osprey usually as a matter 

 of course ; but sometimes patience becomes exhausted and a number 

 of ospreys successfully unite to drive away the eagle. 



About half of the stomachs of the bald eagle examined in the Biolog- 

 ical Survey contained fish, and the following species, mostly additional 

 to those that have already been mentioned, were identified: Fork- 

 tailed catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) , striped bass (Roccus lineatus), gold- 

 fish (Carassius auratus), eel (Anguilla clirisypa) , sunfish (Eupomotis 

 gibbosus), and shiner (Notemigonus americanus) . 



WILD BIRDS. 



It is a regrettable fact that, after fish, birds constitute the most 

 important part of the bald eagle's diet and sometimes furnish almost 

 the entire food. The larger species, particularly of waterfowl and 

 game birds, are preferred; song birds appear rarely if ever to be 

 molested. Dead birds, principally waterfowl, whenever available are 

 greedily devoured, as many observations prove. Mr. W. E. C. Todd 

 has recorded that numbers of long-tailed ducks (Harelda liyemalis) 

 washed up dead along the shore of Lake Erie are disposed of in this 

 manner. Wounded or crippled birds are eagerly seized, but as the 

 supply of these is of course limited, by far the greater proportion of 

 the eagle's avian prey must perforce be obtained entirely by its own 

 exertions. 



In most parts of its range it feeds more largely on waterfowl than on 

 any other kind of birds. In the pursuit of this game the bald eagle 

 employs great strength and skill, to which it frequently adds no 

 small amount of strategy. Geese, brant, and swans, owing apparently 

 to their large size, are favorite food. Mr. Robert Ridgway mentions 

 that on the main island in Pyramid Lake, Nevada, a pair of bald 

 eagles broke up the nest of a Canada goose (Branta canadensis) that 

 had been established on the ground not far from their own. Of the 

 goose and brant hunting habits of the bald eagle at Cobbs Island on 

 the Atlantic shore of Virginia near Cape Charles, Mr. # William Brew- 

 ster, from data furnished him by Mr. Nathan Cobb, gives the following 

 account: 



In the winter the Eagles are much more numerous than at any other time of the year, 

 and my informant has. on several occasions, seen as many as eight at once. At this season 

 the neighboring bays and creeks swarm with Wild-fowl, and upon these the Eagles princi- 

 pally live. He has never known them to capture fish of any kind, although they not 

 unfrequently rob the Fish-Hawk. Geese and Brant form their favorite food, and the 

 address displayed in their capture is very remarkable. The poor victim has apparently 

 not the slightest chance, for escape. The Eagle's flight, ordinarily slow and somewhat 

 heavy, becomes, in the excitement of pursuit, exceedingly swift and graceful, and the 



a Bulletin Nutt. Ornith. Club, V, 1880, pp. 57-58. 



