THE WASHINGTON EAGLE. 
27 
claw two inches and a half. The upper parts of the body 
are dark, shining, coppery-brown ; throat, front, and breast, 
rich bright cinnamon colour. The whole appearance of the 
bird grand and majestic. 
ILLUSTRATIVE ANECDOTES. 
Mr. Nuttall says, u It is to the indefatigable Audubon, 
that we owe the distinct notice and description of this noble 
Eagle, which first drew his attention while voyaging far up 
the Mississippi, in the month of February, 1814. At length, 
he had the satisfaction of discovering its eyry in the high 
cliffs of Green River in Kentucky, near to its junction with 
the Ohio ; two young were discovered loudly hissing from a 
fissure in the rocks, on the approach of the male, from whom 
they received a fish. The female now also came, and with 
solicitous alarm for the safety of her young, gave a loud 
scream, dropped the food she had brought, and hovering 
over the molesting party, kept up a growling and threaten- 
ing cry by way of intimidation ; and, in fact, as our disap- 
pointed naturalist soon discovered, she from this time 
forsook the spot, and found means to convey away her 
young. The discoverer considers the species as rare ; indeed, 
its principal residence appears to be in the northern parts 
of the continent, particularly the rocky solitudes around the 
great north-western lakes, where it can at all times collect 
its finny prey, and rear its young without the dread of man. 
In the winter season, about January and February, as well 
