HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 313 



nowing the air ; the busy tringae coursing along the 

 sands ; trains of ducks streaming over the surface ; 

 silent and watchful cranes, intent and wading ; clamor- 

 ous crows; and all the winged multitudes that subsist 

 by the bounty of this vast liquid magazine of nature. 

 High over all these hovers one whose action instantly 

 arrests his whole attention. By his wide curvature 

 of wing, and sudden suspension in air, he knows him 

 to be the fish hawk, settling over some devoted victim 

 of the deep. His eye kindles at the sight, and, balanc- 

 ing himself, with half-opened wings, on the branch, 

 he watches the result. Down, rapid as an arrow from 

 heaven, descends the distant object of his attention, 

 the roar of its wings reaching the ear as it disappears 

 in the deep, making the surges foam around. At this 

 moment, the eager looks of the Eagle are all ardor ; 

 and, levelling his neck for flight, he sees the fish hawk 

 once more emerge, struggling with his prey, and 

 mounting in the air with screams of exultation. This 

 is the signal for our hero, who, launching in the air, 

 instantly gives chase, and soon gains on the fish hawk ; 

 each exerts his utmost to mount above the other, 

 displaying in these rencontres the most elegant and 

 sublime aerial evolutions. The unencumbered Eagle 

 rapidly advances, and is just on the point of reaching 

 his opponent, when, with a sudden scream, probably 

 of despair and honest execration, the latter drops his 

 fish : the Eagle, poising himself for a moment, as if to 

 take a more certain aim, descends like a whirlwind, 

 snatches it in his grasp ere it reaches the water, and 

 bears his ill-gotten booty silently away to the woods." 

 The Fish Hawk (Aquila Ilaliceta) referred to 

 above, inhabits the coast and many parts of the inte- 

 rior of this country. The flight of this bird is easy 



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