AUDUBON DISCOVERS THE GREAT EAGLE 107 



as specimens. But his soul was bent on capturing an 

 American eagle. He sought for one for two years, 

 when his watchfulness was rewarded. He held in his 

 possession the fierce sovereign of the sky, the noblest of 

 its species. 



What should he name it? Washington, he thought, 

 was the truest of men, a terror to the foes of liberty, and 

 his fame was becoming universal. " I shall call the eagle 

 the Bird of Washington/' he said. 



When he had made the magnificent bird known to the 

 public, the Bird of Washington became by common con- 

 sent one of the emblems of the great republic of the West. 

 Eagles had been used as American emblems before Au- 

 dubon, but they had followed the suggestions of insignia 

 of Rome and France. Franklin had objected to the em- 

 blem of the common eagle. The white-headed eagle of 

 Audubon has become the bird of the shield, although it 

 had been before made an emblem, and the common eagle 

 had become the bird of the banners. Audubon's eagle, 

 or the Bird of Washington, seems to be the most noble of 

 the earn family in its national suggestions. 



Audubon trained Victor to help him do his work in 

 his own perfect way. 



They painted together as one soul. 



At last they had a portfolio of birds or bird pictures 

 which was Audubon's life, and which Victor valued as 

 highly as his father. 



