WHITE-HEADED EAGLE, 55 



" did not receive the bird time enough to ascertain whether 

 " any chylification was effected by the juices from the vessels 

 " of this enlargement of the oesophagus. I think it probable that 

 " it also has a regurgitating or vomiting power, as the bird con- 

 " stantly swallows large quantities of indigestible substances, 

 " such as quills, hairs, &c. In this sac of the Eagle, I found the 

 66 quill feathers of the small white gull; and in the true stomach, 

 " the tail and some of the breast feathers of the same bird; and 

 " the dorsal vertebrae of a large fish. This excited some sur- 

 " prise, until you made me acquainted with the fact of its 

 " watching the Fish-hawks, and robbing them of their prey. 

 " Thus we see, throughout the whole empire of animal life, 

 " power is almost always in a state of hostility to justice, and 

 " of the Deity only can it truly be said, that justice is com- 

 " mensurate with power! 



" The Eagle has the several auxiliaries to digestion and as- 

 " similation in common with man. The liver was unusually 

 " large in your specimen. It secretes bile, which stimulates 

 " the intestines, prepares the chyle for blood, and by this very 

 " secretion of bile, (as it is a deeply respiring animal,) sepa- 

 " rates or removes some obnoxious principles from the blood. 

 " (See Dr. Rush's admirable lecture on this important viscus 

 " in the human subject. ) The intestines were also large, long, 

 " convolute, and supplied with numerous lacteal vessels, which 

 " differ little from those of men, except in colour, which was 

 " transparent. The kidneys were large, and seated on each 

 " side the vertebrae, near the anus. They are also destined to 

 66 secrete some offensive principles from the blood. 



" The eggs were small and numerous; and after a careful ex- 

 " animation, I concluded that no sensible increase takes place 

 " in them till the particular season. This may account for 

 " the unusual excitement which prevails in these birds in the 

 " sexual intercourse. Why there are so many eggs is a mys- 

 " tery. It is perhaps consistent with natural law, that every 

 " thing should be abundant; but from this bird, it is said, no 

 " more than two young are hatched in a season, consequently 



