24 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



for the sole purpose of forcing him to drop his 

 glistening prize. 



The Bald Eagle, however, was a bird of quick 

 temper, little accustomed to being thwarted. 

 When his second swoop failed to make the Fish- 

 Hawk drop his prize, he brought up with a quick 

 jerk, and, on whirring wings, came up squarely 

 in front of the Osprey, his yellow eyes glaring and 

 his great talons held as though to strike. 



''Here's where the Fish-Hawk had better look 

 out for himself!" exclaimed Shan, as he watched 

 this contest in the air. 



A third time the Eagle soared, higher than be- 

 fore, and a third time plunged down, not in threat, 

 this time, but in deadly earnest. 



No creature of the air, not even the great Wan- 

 dering Albatross of the southern seas, could abide 

 a determined attack from a full-grown Bald Eagle. 

 With a cry of baffled rage, the Osprey let go his 

 fish, which glinted silver in the sunlight as it fell. 



Thus lightened, the intended victim had just time 

 enough to wheel away from the descending venge- 

 ance, and the Eagle, aiding his plummet-like fall 

 with a push of his strong wings, outraced the 

 gleaming fish in its descent to earth, caught it be- 

 fore it touched the ground, and, with slow majestic 



