SEA EAGLE, l§ 



quite round, exceedingly heavy, and of a dirty white color. Of 

 the precise time of building we have no account, but something 

 may be deduced from the following circumstance. In the month 

 of May, while on a shooting excursion along the sea coast, not far 

 from Great Egg Harbour, accompanied by my friend Mr. Ord, we 

 were conducted about a mile into the woods to see an Eagle's nest. 

 On approaching within a short distance of the place, the bird was 

 perceived slowly retreating from the nest, which we found oc- 

 cupied the center of the top of a very large yellow pine. The 

 woods were cut down and cleared off for several rods around the 

 spot, which from this circumstance and the stately erect trunk and 

 large crooked wriggling branches of the tree, surmounted by a 

 black mass of sticks and brush, had a very singular and pictu- 

 resque effect. Our conductor had brought an axe with him to cut 

 down the tree; but my companion, anxious to save the eggs, or 

 young, insisted on ascending to the nest, which he fearlessly per- 

 formed, while we stationed ourselves below, ready to defend him 

 in case of an attack from the old Eagles. No opposition, how- 

 ever, was offered; and on reaching the nest, it was found, to our 

 disappointment, empty. It was built of large sticks, some of them 

 several feet in length; within which lay sods of earth, sedge, grass, 

 dry reeds, &c. &c. piled to the height of five or six feet, by more 

 than four in breadth; it was well lined with fresh pine tops, and 

 had little or no concavity. Under this lining lay the recent exu- 

 viae of the young of the present year, such as scales of the quill 

 feathers, down, &c. Our guide had passed this place late in Fe- 

 bruary, at which time both male and female were making a great 

 noise about the nest; and from what we afterwards learnt, it is 

 highly probable it contained young, even at that early time of the 

 season. 



A few miles from this is another Eagle's nest, built also on a 

 pine tree, which, from the information received from the proprie- 

 tor of the woods, had been long the residence of this family of 



