202 



THE BALD EAGLE AND OSPREY. 



The Bald Eagle is quite plentiful in the vicinity of 

 large rivers, where the Fish Hawk is eouimon; unlike 

 this last named bird, however, he cannot be called pis- 

 civoi'ous, as he subsists largely on ducks, geese, and 

 other aquatic birds. Referring to this eagle, Audu 

 bon says: 



"No sooner does the Fish Hawk make its appearance along 

 our Atlantic shores, or ascends our numerous and large rivers, 

 than the eagle follows it, and, like a selfish oppressor, robs 

 it of the hard-earned fruits of its labor. Perched on some 

 tall summit, in view of the ocean, or of some water course, 

 he watches every motion of the Fish Hawk while on wing. 

 When the latter i-ises from the water with a fish in its grasp, 

 forth rushes the eagle in pursuit. He mounts above the Fish 

 Hawk, and threatens it by actions well understood, when the 

 latter, fearing perhaps that its life is in danger, drops its 

 prey. In an instant the eagle, accurately estimating the 

 rapid descent of the fish, closes his wings, follows it with 

 the swiftness of thought, and the ne.Kt moment grasps it." 



SOMETIMES FISHES FOR HIMSELF. 



According tO' Audubon the Bald Eagle catches tish 

 for himself. 



"This bird now and then procures fish for himself by pur- 

 suing them in the shallows of small creeks. I have witnessed 

 several instances of this in the Perkiomen creek, in Pennsyl- 

 vania, where, in this manner, I saw one of them secure a 

 number of red fins by wading briskly through the water and 

 striking at them with his bill. T have also observed a pair 

 scrambling over the ice of a frozen pond to get at some fish 

 below, but without success. It does not confine itself to these 

 kinds of food, but greedily devours young pigs, lambs, fawns, 

 poultry and the putrid flesh of carcasses of every description, 

 driving off the ^'ultures and carrion crows or the do^s, and 

 keeping a whole party at defiance until it is satiated." 



KII>LS LAMBS .AND PIGS, 



Dr. Fisher publishes the following notes from the 

 Forest and Stream concerning the destruction of do 

 mestic animals: 



A number of eagles have recently been shot In various 

 parts of Pennsylvania. One, shot by John Hodman in North 



Coveiitiy, Chester county, had rnii'led off limlily a larg«- lamb 



