Song Birds and Water Fowl 
The adoption of the eagle as our national 
emblem has been strongly condemned, on the 
ground that no animal so fierce and rapacious 
is worthy of such exalted symbolism ; and Ben- 
jamin Franklin expressed his disapproval of the 
choice in very vigorous language. It is to be 
remarked, however, that no parable is obliged to 
‘« go on all fours,’’ and I know not why more 
should be expected of emblems than of para- 
bles. The eagle is as truly the king of birds, in 
its most striking aspects, as the lion is the king 
of beasts; and, as the mother-country had ap- 
propriated the latter as an emblem, it was 
quite natural that her aspiring children should 
aim higher, and adopt the loftiest symbol they 
could find. Ethically considered, both of these 
creatures are, perhaps, as far as possible from 
adequately typifying a nation’s greatest glory ; 
but they are certainly pre-eminently qualified, as 
compared with all other creatures of their class, 
to symbolize that strength, immensity, sublim- 
ity, and sovereignty which, in the minds of men, 
are predominant features of a magnificent na- 
tional life. 
Another and more forcible objection against 
giving this honorable distinction to the bald 
eagle in particular is not so easy to be met ; 
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