Bird of Washington, 



115 



Art. V. JSotes on the Bird of Washingto7i (Falco Washingtoni' 

 ana), or Great American Sea Eagle. {Jig' 53.) By John James 

 - Audubon, Esq. F.L.S. F.R.S.E. &c. 



It was on a winter's evening, in the month of February, 

 1814, that, for the first time in my life, I had an opportunity 

 of seeing this rare 

 and noble bird, and 

 never shall I for- 

 get the delight it 

 gave me. Not even 

 Herschell when he 

 discovered the fa- 

 mous planet which 

 bears his name 

 could have experi- 

 enced more happy 

 feelings. To have 

 something new to 

 relate, to become 

 yourself a contri- 

 butor to science, 

 must excite the 

 proudest emotions 

 of the human heart. 



We were on a 

 trading voyage, as- 

 cending the Upper 

 Mississippi, — the 

 keen winter blasts 

 whistled over our 

 heads, and the cold 

 from which I suf- 

 fered had, in a great 

 degree, extinguish- 

 ed the deep interest which, at other seasons, this river has 

 been wont to awake in me. I lay stretched beside our 

 patroon ; the safety of the cargo was forgotten, and the only 

 thing that called forth my attention was the multitude of 

 ducks, of different species, accompanied by vast flocks of 

 swans, which from time to time would pass us. My patroon, 

 a Canadian, had been engaged many years in the fur trade ; 

 he was a man of much intelligence, who, perceiving that these 

 birds had engaged my curiosity, seemed only anxious to find 

 some new object to divert me. The sea eagle flew over us. 

 ** How fortunate !" he exclaimed : " this is what I could have 



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