THE CAPTURED SWAN. 



" The hope of escape is soon given up by the swan. It has ah'eady become much 

 weakened, and its strength fails at the sight of the courage and swiftness of its antago- 

 nist. Its last gasp is about to escape when the ferocious eagle strikes with his talons the 

 under side of its wing, and, with unresisted power, forces the bird to fall in a slanting 

 direction upon the nearest shore. It is then, reader, that you may see the cruel spirit 

 of this dreaded enemy of the feathered race, wliilst, exultmg over his prey, lie, for tlu- 

 first time, breathes at case. 



" He presses down his powerful feet, and drives his sharp daws deeper tlian ever into 

 tlie heart of tlie dying swan. He shrieks with delight as he feels the last convVilsidns of 

 his prey, which has now sunk under his unceasing efforts to render death as painfully 

 felt as it can possibly be. 'J'he female has watched every movement of her mate, and 

 if she did not assist him in capturing the swan, it was not from want of will, but merely 

 because she felt full assurance that the power and courage of her lord were quite suffi- 

 cient for the deed. She now sails to the spot, where he eagerly awaits her, and when 

 she has arrived, they together turn the breast of the luckless swan upwards, and gorge 

 themselves with gore." 



" At other times, when these eagles, sailing in search of prey, discover a goose, a 

 duck, or a swan, that has alighteil on the water, they accomjilish its destruction in a 

 manner that is worthy of our attention. AVell awai-o that water-fowl have it in their 

 power to dive at their a]iproacli, and thereby elude their attempts upon them, they 

 ascend in the air, in opposite diivctions, over the lake or river on which the object they 

 are«desirous of possessing ha.s been observed. Both reach a certain height, immediately 

 after which, one of them glides with groat swiftness towards the prey ; the latter, mean- 

 time, aware of the eagle's intention, dives the moment before ho reaches the sjiot. The 



