The Bald Eagle 405 



I have never known them to attack domestic animals other than lambs, but 

 C. J. Maynard says: 



"While encamped on a small island in the Gulf of Mexico, near the mouth 

 of the Suwannee River, I heard one morning a loud squealing among the half- 

 wild hogs, of which there were an abundance in the place. I found that three 

 Eagles were attacking the newly born progeny of an old hog, and she was 

 endeavoring to defend them. The little grunters, of which there were several, 

 had taken refuge under the top of a fallen tree, which, however, afforded them 

 only partial protection; thus the Eagles could see them, and, tempted by the 

 dainty titbits, would swoop downward and endeavor to grasp the little black- 

 and-white pigs in their talons, but were constantly repulsed by the anxious 

 mother, who bravely defended her offspring, at the same time giving vent to 

 some of the most ear-splitting squeals that ever a distressed hog uttered. I do 

 not know how the strife would have ended, had I not interfered." 



Bald Eagles probably like fish better than any other food, for they seem 

 always to be more abundant where the supply of fish is large. A dead fish is of 

 course easy to secure, but I have seen them many times fly down and capture 

 living ones. At least three-fourths of these attempts were fruitless, for the 

 Eagle does not seem to possess the same skill in this direction that is enjoyed 

 by its somewhat more agile neighbor, the Osprey. The Eagle is very shrewd, 

 however, and having no inconvenient scruples whatever as to the methods 

 that may be employed in getting food, it does not hesitate in the least to take 

 the Osprey's prey away from it. 



One of the most thrilling sights of the wilderness is to witness such an 

 occurrence. An Osprey laden with its fish cannot possibly out-fly a healthy 

 Bald Eagle, although when pursued it certainly does its best 

 to escape. No matter how hard it tries to get away, the result p, 



is usually the same. The Eagle gives hot chase, and, soon 

 rising above the Fish Hawk, strikes downward at the smaller bird, which has 

 been rising higher ever since it has discovered that it is being followed. 

 Usually one stroke by the Eagle is enough, but sometimes half a dozen are 

 necessary before the Osprey in despair drops its fish. Instantly the Eagle 

 darts downward with half-closed wings at an enormous speed, and catches 

 the fish in mid-air before the tree-tops are reached. 



In mountainous regions or along rocky seacoasts Bald Eagles sometimes 



build their nests on cUffs, but their eyries are usually found in tall trees. The 



first nest to which I ever clknbed, many years ago, was in a 



southern forest near a lake-shore. The tree was a large one, and " ^f,^ ^ 



o ' Nest 



the only possible way to make the ascent was by nailing cleats 



of wood to the tree as I progressed, keeping myself safe in the meantime by a 



rope passing around the tree and over one shoulder and under the other arm. 



The strips of wood were pulled up by a cord from the ground as needed. By 



actual measurement, the first limb on this giant pine was eighty-one feet from 



