ZOOLOGY. 
151 
there. The old birds of some other kinds are said to have the same habit of resorting to the 
interior, particularly during their periodical migrations. 
This hawk feeds chiefly on mice and small birds, rarely disturbing the farmer’s poultry, and 
is, doubtless, of much more benefit to him than injury.—C. 
The marsh hawk, or hen harrier, I have found a frequent inhabitant of the neighborhood of 
all Oregon streams, being not only, as mentioned by Nuttall, found there in winter, but is also 
a constant summer resident. I procured one specimen, a male in the adult bluish-gray 
plumage, at Fort Dalles in the spring of 1855. Although I had constantly seen these birds 
during the two previous years of my residence in Oregon, I had never before met with it in its 
gray plumage, all that I had seen being in the immature state, and while flying showing a very 
conspicuous white patch upon the rump. Many specimens in the latter stage of plumage I 
saw in the summer of 1856 at Fort Steilacoom. Specimen 5851 (551) measured, length 21, 
extent 47 inches.—S. 
Sub-Family AQUILINAE.—The Eagles. 
HALIAETUS LEUCOCEPHALUS, Savigny. 
The Bald Eagle; the White-headed Eagle. 
Falco leucocephalus, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 124, (1766.1 
Falcopygargus, Daudin, Traite d’Orn, II, 62, (1800.) 
Falco ossifragus, Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, 16, (1813.) 
Haliaelm leucocephalus, Savig. Cuv. Reg. An. ed. 2, p. 326. 
Haliaetus leucocephalus , (Linn.) Baird & Cassin, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 43. 
Figures. —Catesby’s Carolina I, pi. I ; Vieill. Ois. O’Am. Sept. I, pi. 3 ; Wilson Am. Orn. IV, pi. 36, VII, pi. 55 ; Aud. B. 
of Am., pi. 31, 126 ; oct. ed. I, pi. 14. 
Sp. Ch.— Head, tail, and its coverts white ; rest of plumage brownish black, edges of feathers paler. 
Female: length, 35 to 42 wing, 23 to 25; tail, 14 to 15 inches. Extent about 88 inches. Male: 30 to 34; wing, 20 to 22, tail 
13 to 14 inches. 
Young: entire plumage dark brown, paler on throat and edges of feathers ; tail more or less mottled with white. Attains 
the adult plumage in four years. 
This well known bird scarcely needs a special description here, although it seems probable 
that a larger species of similar plumage may be found in countries inhabited by this also. 
(See Gen. Eep. on H. Washingtonii.) 
No. 9130, (53,) Shoalwater bay, February 27, 1854 ; young female: length 37, extent 87.50. 
Iris brown. 
No. 52 (lost) Vancouver, February 18, 1854; adult male: length 33, extent 79. Iris, bill, 
and feet yellow. 
The white-headed eagle is one of the most abundant of the falcon tribe in Washington Ter¬ 
ritory, particularly along the Columbia river, and other smaller streams, as well as the salt 
water. I was astonished at their numbers on the day of my arrival in the Territory in June, 
1853. As the steamer ascended the Columbia river, a light rain falling constantly, I could see 
three or four at any time, sitting on the gigantic spruces that lined the banks, occasionally 
sailing off, circling around overhead, uttering their shrill scream, as if to dispute our right to 
navigate the great river. Though their white head and tail made them clearly visible against 
the dark green background of foliage, they sat often so high above the river as to look no larger 
than crows, and their screams were only faintly audible. Excepting a few sea-ducks and gulls 
at the mouth of the river, the eagles were the only birds I saw that day, and the absence of 
fish-hawks, crows, &c., struck me as remarkable. 
