196 AUDUBON THE NATURALIST. 



personal experience, does not doubt its capacity 

 and inclination to do so. The white-headed 

 eagle, which seldom frequents the mountainous 

 districts, preferring the lowlands or sea-shore, is 

 a constant resident in the United States, and to 

 be met with in every part. It is capable of 

 existing for a long period, even twenty days, it 

 is said, without food. Its nest, usually placed 

 on the tallest trees, is also found on rocks. It 

 manifests a strong attachment to certain local- 

 ities. 



Audubon expresses his regret that this bird 

 should have been chosen as the emblem of his 

 country, in accordance with the sentiment of 

 Franklin, who, in one of his letters, thus gives 

 his opinion, "I wish," he says, "the white-headed 

 eagle had not been selected as the representative 

 of our country. He is a bird of bad moral char- 

 acter, he does not get his living honestly ; you 

 may have seen him perched on some dead tree, 

 where, too lazy to jBsh for himself, he watches 

 the labour of the fishing hawk, and when that 

 diligent bird has at length taken a fish, and is 

 bearing it to his nest for the support of his mate 

 and young ones, the eagle pursues him and takes 

 it from him." 



With all this injustice he is never in good case, 

 but, like those among men who live by sharping 

 and robbing, is generally poor. 



