474 DAN BEARD'S ANIMAL BOOK 



Through the field-glass we can see the perse- 

 cuted emblem of our country, with his proud head 

 turned to one side as if there were something in 

 that direction which interested him, as indeed there 

 is, and the war bird is becoming restless; now we 

 can hear him talking to himself in a series of rasp- 

 ing noises and whistling notes, but the harsh notes 

 are all but lost in the distance they must travel to 

 reach the log house, and we can only hear the more 

 musical ones. 



As Jimmy, the old backwoodsman, said: ''Sam- 

 my is singing like a canary in a cage." 



There is a sinister meaning 



TO THE SONG OF AN EAGLE. 



Unlike the canary, it is not the mere joy of 

 living which calls forth his song, it is his method of 

 working his courage up by telling himself that 

 he, Uncle Sam, is the king of birds, a mighty war- 

 rior, and can whip anything that wears feathers in 

 Pike County. What! he afraid, who dares say 

 the word? 



When the old fellow had worked himself up to 

 the fighting point he launched his great body in the 

 air and made for the leaning maple by the musk- 

 rat's last winter's home. 



Unfortunately, the foliage of the forest at this 

 point intercepts our view, and we could only see 

 what seemed to be another eagle. 



Uncle Sam made a rush at the stranger, which 



