THE WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 
275 
.'''ere so worn out, and of such a rusty colour, that I 
Imagined the bird had lost the power of moulting. 
*he legs and feet were covered with large warts — the 
Haws and hill were much blunted — it could scarcely fly 
1,1 Ore than a hundred yards at a time, and this it did 
5'’>th a heaviness, and unsteadiness of motion, such as 
. lever witnessed in any other bird of the species. The 
"°fly was poor, and very tough. The eye was the only 
which appeared to have sustained no injury. It 
gained sparkling, and full of animation; and, even 
death, seemed to have lost little of its lustre. No 
' v °uuds were perceivable on its body. 
“ The white-headed eagle is seldom seen alone, the 
, ktual attachment which two individuals form when 
;*'oy first pair, seeming to continue until one of them 
or is destroyed. They hunt for the support of 
”^h other, and seldom feed apart, but usually drive 
other birds of the same species. They commence 
le >r amatory intercourse at an earlier period than any 
■'her land bird with which I am acquainted, generally 
the month of December. At this time, along the 
j '^issippi, or by the margin of some lake not far in the 
’ l deri 0 r of the ’forest, the male and female birds are 
j 1 served making a great, bustle, flying about and circling 
z' Various ways, uttering a loud cackling noise, alighting 
.!* the dead branches of the tree on which their nest is 
Z* r eady preparing, or in the act of being repaired, and 
^easing each other. In the beginning of January 
jjcubation commences. I shot a female, on the 17th 
month, as she sat on her eggs, on which the 
had made considerable progress. 
, 11 The nest, which in some instances is of great size, is 
. ‘"tolly placed on a very tall tree, destitute of branches 
a considerable height, but by no means always a dead 
J! 6 - It is never seen on rocks. It is composed of 
. *°lt8, from three to five feet iu length, large pieces ot 
rank weeds, and Spanish moss in abundance, 
i'ci-tiever that substance happens to be near. When 
fished, it measures from five to six feet in diameter ; 
tl( * so great is the accumulation of materials, that 
