297 
BALD EAGLE * 
FJILCO LEUCOCEPHJILUS. 
[Plate XXXVL] 
Jigle a the bhnche, Temm. Man. d’Om. p. S2.—L'Mgle pygargue, Yieillot, Ois. de 
I’Am. Sept. 1, p. 27, pi. 3. 
IN Wilson’s history of the Bald Eagle, he confidently asserts 
that it is the same species as the Sea Eagle, in a different stage of 
colour. In his account of the latter, f he adduces additional reasons 
for his belief, which is at variance with the opinions of some of the 
most respectable naturalists of Europe. We have no hesitation, 
from our own experience, in pronouncing these birds to be the 
same ; and deem it unnecessary to add any thing further on the 
subject, as the reasoning of Wilson is conclusive. 
Our author, vol. vii, page 19, describes an Eagle’s nest, which 
he visited, in company with the writer of this article, on the eigh- 
teenth of May, 1812. It was then empty ; but from every appear- 
ance a brood had been hatched and reared in it that season. The 
following year, on the first day of March, a friend of ours took, 
from the same nest three eggs, the largest of which measured three 
inches and a quarter in length, two and a quarter in diameter, up- 
wards of seven in circumference, and weighed four ounces five 
drams apothecaries weight; the colour a dirty yellowish white — 
one was of a very pale bluish white ; the young were perfectly 
formed. Such was the solicitude of the female to preserve her 
eo-o-s, that she did not abandon the nest until several blows, with 
an axe, had been given the tree. 
4 F 
t Vol. vii, p. If). 
VOL. IX. 
* See vol. iv, p. 89. 
