2 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



"bird has at length taken a fish, and is bearing it to 

 his nest for the support of his mate and young ones, 

 the hakl eagle pursues him and takes it from him. 

 With all this injustice, he is never in good case, 

 but, like those among men who live hj sharping and 

 robbing, he is generally poor, and often very lousy. 

 Besides, he is a rank coward ; the little king bird, 

 no bigger than a sparrow, attacks him boldly, and 

 drives him out of the district. He is, therefore, by 

 no means a proper emblem for the brave and honest 

 Cincinnati of America, who have driven all the ' king 

 birds' from our country ! though exactly fit for that 

 order of knights which the French call Chevaliers 

 d'Industrie." * 



This letter by Benjamin Franklin was shown to 

 me by a learned bibliopolist of Philadelphia, who 

 preserved it among his collection of autographs, 

 and I admit that I entirely agree with the opinion 

 of the eminent statesman. This gentleman, more- 

 over, knowing me to be very fond of sporting, gave 

 me the following account of the great American 

 eagle : — 



" Three years ago, in the month of November, 

 I was going down the Mississippi in a frail skiff, 

 rowed by two negroes. I was on my way to 

 Memphis. As winter was approaching, the surface 



* The letter by FrankliD, condemnatory of the choice of the Bald 

 Eagle {Tlalimtus leucocephalm) , has been printed in English before. — 

 Trans. 



