Nov., 1909 
A LIFE HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN BALI) EAGLE 
191 
back in the woods for fifty yards or so in order that the nest may be sheltered from 
the gales that rage at times. In addition to this the nest must be well placed and 
firmly supported; for it must bear up several hundred pounds of snow during 1 the 
winter. Out of twenty-five nests observed, only two were in dead trees and one of 
these is shown in the first illustration accompanying this article. 
The second photo shows a nest of this bird on Hawkins Island, Prince William 
Sound, Alaska. This nest was located in a large hemlock tree sixty-two feet from 
the ground. It will be noticed that the nest is not in the top of the tree, where it 
would be exposed to the full force of the wind. This was an immense pile of wood 
even for an eagle’s nest. These are the actual measurements taken with a steel 
tape: outside diameter, eight by ten feet; depth, four feet; nest cavity, twelve by 
twelve inches; depth, four inches. The nest was firmly supported by an eight-inch 
forked limb; but the lower portion of the nest was fast moldering away, and a 
YOUNG NORTH KRX BAUD EAGLES PHOTOGRAPHED IN NEST 
green currant vine had become firmly anchored in the rotting wood and twined its 
graceful green tendrils around one side of the nest. The nest was practically 
level across the upper surface, which was carpeted with moss. The nest cavity 
was lined with gull feathers and fine dry moss. I stretcht out across the narrowest 
diameter of the nest but my arms and legs extended were not visible from below. 
This nest must support at least a ton of snow during the winter, so I had no 
hesitancy in venturing out upon it. 
Another nest, at Windfall Harbor, Admiralty Island, Alaska, was situated in 
the highest branches of a broken-topt spruce tree one hundred and sixteen feet 
from the ground. This nest was not so well built, but measured six feet four 
inches, by six feet eleven inches over-all, and the outside depth was four feet. 
