96 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



The name " bald," which is given to this species is not applied be- 

 cause the head is bare, but because the leathers of the neck and head 

 in the adults are pure white. In Pennsylvania, as well as throughout 

 the United States, we have but two species of Eagles. The " Black," 

 c; Gray " and u Washington " Eagles are all young of the Bald Eagle. 

 Three years, it is stated, are required before this species assumes the 

 adult plumage. The Bald Eagle, although found in Pennsylvania at 

 all seasons of the year, is much oftener met with during the winter 

 months than at other times, A few of these birds annually rear their 

 young along the Susquehanna river, and elsewhere in this State. The 

 nest, a bulky affair, built usually on a large tree, mostly near the 

 water, is said to be about five or six feet in diameter. It is made up 

 chiefly of large sticks, lined inside with grasses, leaves, etc. The eggs 

 commonly 2 rarely 3 are white and measure about 3 by 2-J inches. 

 A favorite article of food with this bird is fish, which he obtains, 

 chiefly, by strategy and rapine. The Bald Eagle is quite plentiful in 

 the vicinity of large rivers, where the Fish Hawk is common; unlike 

 this last-named bird, however, he cannot be called piscivorous, as he 

 subsists largely on ducks, geese and other aquatic birds. Referring 

 to this Eagle, Audubon says : u No sooner does the Fish Hawk make 

 its appearance along our Atlantic shores, or ascend ou-r numerous and 

 large rivers, than the Eagle follows it, and, like a selfish oppressor, 

 robs it of the hard-earned fruits of its labor. Perched on some tall 

 summit, in view of the ocean, or of some water-course, he watches 

 every motion of the Fish Hawk while on wing. When the latter rises 

 from the water, with a fish in its grasp, forth rushes the Eagle in pur- 

 suit. He mounts above the Fish Hawk, and threatens it by actions 

 well understood, when the latter, fearing perhaps that its life is in 

 danger, drops its prey. In an instant, the Eagle, accurately estimat- 

 ing the rapid descent of the fish, closes his wings, follows it with the 

 swiftness of thought, and the next moment grasps it. * 



This bird now and then procures fish for himself by pursuing them 

 in the shallows of small creeks. I have witnessed several instances 

 of this in the Perkiomen creek in Pennsylvania, where, in this man- 

 ner, I saw one of them secure a number of Red fins^ by wading briskly 

 through the water, and striking at them with his bill. I have also 

 observed a pair scrambling over the ice of frozen pond to get at some 

 fish below, but without success. It does not confine itself to these 

 kinds of food, but greedily devours young pigs, lambs, fawns, poultry 

 and the putrid flesh of carcasses of every descriplion, driving off the 

 Vultures and Carrion Crows, or the dogs, and keeping a whole party 

 at defiance until it is satiated." Even man is not exempt from the 

 attacks of these predacious birds. I have repeatedly seen in news- 

 papers accounts of combats between men and Eagles ; frequently the 



