430 ZOOLOGY. 
mong the mass of ‘‘sea,” “bald,” “golden,” “gray,” “ ring- 
regi etc., eagles stated to inhabit this country. All the gray 
or brown eagles from Nova Scotia that have passed through my 
hands are young bald eagles. One measured nearly eight feet 
across; another 8} feet; exceeding some balds by over a foot. 
One had the tail 154 inches; in another the curve of the bill was 
34 inches, and tarsus the same. These measurements rival and 
even outdo: ‘*Washingtonianus” except in extent of wing.— E 
Bernarp Giırrix, M. D., Halifax, N. S. 
[NOTE. Dr. Coues, to whom we referred this paper, says :—“ Dr. Gilpin’s remarks 
upon the variation of the scales are interesting, and may be new to many; while I fo 
one am satisfied with his = planation of Audubon’s figure and statement. I wonder 
how many more times the + Washington Eagle” must be put down before it will stay 
ree “ As a species, itis a myth; as a specimen, it was a big, youngish bald eagle — 
the two-year-olds of which, — getting the white head and tail, are usually in 
kone tho mature se rds. Of th the V 
p 
S. 
S 
under, as just said; pelagica is a N PE. Aata atic piai not yet atithentically of ‘this $ 
a, 'alvicitia Greenla ex ane N. . European spec ies, gilig: leaving Haliætus leu 
chrysetu (Cue 
sis, npr gold eagle, with entirely feathered legs, as our only valid authentic species.” 
e Key N. A. Birds, p. 219, 220. — Eps.] 
Tue CoLorapo Poraro BEETLE Varyine rrs Foop. — A gener- - 
ally received opinion in regard to the Colorado Potato Beetle, 
Doryphora 10-lineata (Say), is that its food is confined to plants 
of the family Solanaceæ. I have found it this season (June 19, 
1872) at Port Austin, Michigan, sparingly feeding on grass, on 
which it had also deposited its eggs. Later in the season (July 
20), at Fort Gratiot, Michigan, I encountered it in large numbers, 
in both the larva and perfect states, in the vicinity of potato-fields 
(where it had committed terrible depredations), devouring the 
younger leaves and flower buds of the common thistle (Cirsium 
lanceolatum Scop.), which it was rapidly stripping even to its thick 
stem so that the entire top of the plant hung down, almost severed. 
In the same neighborhood I also saw it on pigweed (Amarantus 
retroflexus L.), hedge mustard (Sisymbrium officinale Scop-), the 
cultivated oat, smart-weed (Polygonum hydropiper L.), and the red 
currant and tomato of the gardens, as well as the common night- 
shade (Solanum nigrum L.), the last two its more legitimate food. 
But of the last mentioned plants, with the exception of the night- 
shade, it ate only the young leaves, and of them very sparingly- 
The thistle it seemed particularly to relish. Could its attention 
be diverted from the potato to the Canada thistle it would encoun- 
ter an erect worthy of its prowess; and the curses which have 
Ei 
ag Sk aR SN AS Ne anno tee eed a ee nia CN ano Ee To 
Shep ay Le? ate 
