2 
U-'' 
Aquila chrvsaetos . 
Lake Umbagog, Maine. 
1397. 
jSept. 21. 
! 
r 
equal that descent. The big bird simply plunged headlong from 
a height of at least one hundred yards with almost closed and 
apparently stiffly held wings making a sound like that of a 
gale of wind blowing through pine branches. Its momentum must 
have been tremendous. How it checked its fearful speed before 
reaching the earth or, indeed, just what happened after it 
passed below the line of the fallen tops (15 or 20 ft. high) 
I am unable to record but it certainly stooped at the Heron 
and as certainly missed its aim for just as the Eagle disap¬ 
peared the Heron set up an outrageous squawking and a moment 
later was seen flying off at its best pace over the trees evi¬ 
dently badly enough frightened. The Eagle did not attempt any 
pursuit but presently it came floating back over us again, 
this time so low down (certainly not above 60 or 70 yards) 
that I was sorely tempted to fire at it. For an instant it 
hung nearly motionless looking down at us curiously. Through 
my glass I could see every detail of its coloring. It was 
evidently a nearly mature individual with the golden brown of 
the head not fully perfected however. It had no -white what¬ 
ever on the tail, whereas the bird that drove out the Ducks 
earlier in the day had the basal half of the tail pure white 
above. The latter bird was also much darker colored, the head 
and body appearing to be almost jet black. 
i 
