BIRDS. 61 







It may reasonably be doubted if any birds, even the eagle, does 

 as much harm as good. Wo always observe the evil done, rarely 

 the benefit rendered. 



Among the birds, the only pests worthy of being noticed aro 

 the eagle, the crow and raven, the hawk (or kite, as he is frequently 

 called), and the owl. j 



THE EAGLE. The eagle is a formidable " pest of the farm," 

 pouncing from time to time upon the various inmates of the poul- 

 try-yard, and carrying away the young in its talons, and even oc- 

 casionally extending its depredations to a young pig or lamb ; 

 besides, being, in some instances, known to attack a sickly or dying 

 beast, and to anticipate death by (vulture fashion) pecking out its 

 eyes. Still it must be admitted that the eagle usually behaves in 

 a nobler manner, arid, unless when very hard pinched by appetite, 

 contents himself with such prey as he can convey away to his nest, 

 or, as it is called, his eyrie, on the distant cliff. 



There are three sorts of eagle whose depredations are most to be 

 feared by farmers. These are, the Bald Eagle or White-Headed 

 Eagle, the Ring-Tailed Eagle, and the Sea Eagle. A few words 

 relative to the destruction of these birds will suffice, and the one 

 set of directions will equally apply to all. The best mode of pro- 

 tection against the ravages of the eagles is to shoot them where 

 seen, and to have their nests annually robbed. This is best ma- 

 naged by offering a bounty for the capture of young ones, or, as 

 they are called, the eaglets. 



BALD EAGLE OR WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. This distinguished 

 bird is entitled to particular notice. He has been long known to 

 naturalists, being common to both continents, and occasionally met 

 with from a very high northern latitude, to the borders of the tor- 

 rid zone, but chiefly in the vicinity of the sea, and along the shores 

 and cliffs of our lakes and large rivers. Formed by nature for 

 braving the severest cold ; feeding equally on the produce of the 

 sea and of the land ; possessing powers of flight capable of out- 

 stripping even the tempests themselves ; unawed by anything but 

 man ; and, from the ethereal heights to which he soars, looking 

 abroad, at one glance, on an immeasurable expanse of forests, 

 fields, lakes, and ocean, deep below him, he appears indifferent to 

 the little localities of change of seasons ; as, in a few minutes, he 

 can pass from summer to winter, from the lower to the higher re- 

 gions of the atmosphere, the abode of eternal cold, and thence de- 



