302 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIKDS. 



though on the breaking up of spring, when the suckers 

 abound at the inlets, you may frequently see several hover- 

 ing over the same spot. The Bald Eagle, who is a sort of 

 omnipresent predator wherever the Primeval Nature holds 

 her own upon the continent, makes his appearance some- 

 times, suddenly, on his wide-visiting wings, amidst these soli- 

 tudes, that seem rightfully to belong to the Fish-Hawk alone. 

 His hoarse bark startles the deep silence from afar, and every 

 natural sound is mute. Wheeling grandly amidst the dim 

 blue cliffs, he subsides on slow and royal spread upon some 

 blasted pine beside the lake-river, and with quick, short 

 screaming while he smooths his ruffled plumes announces 

 to awed nature that its winged monarch has come down to 

 rest. The friendly Fish-Hawks, in silent consternation, dart 

 hither and yon, in vexed, uncertain flight the tiny song- 

 sters dive into deep thickets, and the very cricket underneath 

 dead leaves, pauses for a moment in its cheerful trill, while 

 the shadow of that drear sound passes over all. But now the 

 kingly bird grows quiet, and with many a shift of feet and 

 restless lift of wing while fierce, far-darting eyes are taking 

 in all the capabilities of his new perch he sinks into an at- 

 titude of deep repose one yellow-heated eye upturned, 

 watching the evolutions of the startled Fish-Hawks ; whose 

 movement becoming less and less irregular as they wheel to 

 and fro, gradually subsides into the measured windings of 

 their habitual flight in seeking prey while the buzz, the 

 hum, the chirp, the chatter and the carol creep up once again, 

 and n ature becomes voiceful in her happy silence. 



Now, to witness, as I have done, from the mountain-tops, 

 the Osprey swoop down from the dizzy height, almost level 

 with my feet, and hear the faint whirr of arrowy-falling 

 plumes, and see the cloud-spray dimly flash through the blue 

 steep of distance ah, that was a sight ! And then the strong 

 bird's scream of exultation faintly heard, and the" far flash of 

 scales that glitter as he drags his spoil to sunlight, from its 



