HALI^TUS LEUCOCEPHALUS — BALD EAGLE. 213 



a young one. This occurs when the former partner of the 

 old one has been killed or has died. 



With all the strength and vigor which this Eagle i)os- 

 sesses, he is a mean tyrant, utterly unworthy of the honor 

 bestowed in selecting him as the emblem of our country. 

 His habits accord better with those of a tillibuster or rob- 

 ber, and we think with Franklin, that the selection was a 

 poor one. During the summer he watches the motions of 

 the Fish Hawk — Pandion Halicetus — and when the latter 

 has by its industry secured a fish, the Eagle gives chase, 

 and overtaking the Hawk, compels it through fear to relin- 

 quish its prey. This is no sooner done than our robber 

 bears off the prize to its nest in the woods. When it can 

 not obtain fish in this manner, it feeds on such as are 

 thrown ashore. It also attacks pigs, lambs, rabbits, and 

 such of our wild animals as it can conquer. The water 

 fowl suffer severel}'-, a pair of eagles generally assisting 

 each other in this kind of hunt, swooping alternately at 

 the devoted victim, compelling it to dive until it is 

 exhausted for lack of breath, when it makes for the shore 

 and is instantly killed. 



Audubon records a case of one of these Eagles attempt- 

 ing to carry off a child, which it did not succeed in doing 

 in consequence of the dress of the babe giving way. When 

 hard pressed for food, he will devour carrion, and even 

 compel the Turkey Buzzard to disgorge, and will then 

 swallow the fetid morsel. 



For many years a pair of these birds bred on a high oak 

 tree, upon the farm of Prof. Kirtland, on a precipice over- 

 looking the lake. The original tree on which this nest 

 was built, was destroyed, and the birds immediately 

 selected one close to it for their future home. This nest 

 is now used, and in all probability contains eggs or young 

 at the present time, (March, 1858.) Nine or ten years ago, 

 the female was shot by some one, and the male left the 

 locality for th it season. Next year he came back with a 



