590 SUPPLEMENT. 



braving the severest cold, feeding equally on the produce of the 

 sea and of the land, possessing powers of flight capable of outstrip- 

 ping even the tempest, unawed by anything but man, and from the 

 ethereal heights to which he soars looking abroad at one glance on 

 an immeasurable expanse of forest, fields, lakes and ocean deep be- 

 low him, he appears indifi"erent to the little localities of change of 

 seasons, as in a few minutes he can pass from summer to winter, 

 from the lower to the higher regions of the atmosphere. He is 

 therefore found at all seasons in the countries which he inhabits, 

 but prefers such places as have been mentioned above for the great 

 partiality he has for fish. Elevated on the high, dead limb of some 

 gigantic tree that commands a wide view of the neighboring shore 

 and ocean, he seems calmly to contemplate the motions of the various 

 feathered tribes that pursue their busy avocations below. High over 

 all these hovers one whose action instantly arrests his whole attention. 

 By his wide curvature of wing and sudden suspension in air, he 

 knows him to be the Fish Hawk settling over some devoted victim 

 of the deep. His eye kindles at the sight, and, balancing himself with 

 half-open wings on the branch, he watches the result. Down, rapid 

 as an arrow from heaven, descends the distant object of his attention, 

 the roar of its wings reaching the ear as it disajjpears in the deep, 

 making the surges foam around. At this moment the eager looks of 

 the Eagle are all ardor, and levelling his neck for the flight, he sees 

 the Fish Hawk once more emerge, struggling with his prey, and 

 mounting in the air vnth screams of exultation. These are the sig- 

 nals for our hero, who, launching into the air, instantly gives chase, 

 and soon gains on the Hawk. Each exerts his utmost to motint 

 above the other, displaying in their rencontre the most elegant aerial 

 evolutions. The unencumbered Eagle rapidly advances, and is just 

 on the point of reaching his oi^ponent, when, with a sudden scream, 

 the latter drops his fish. The Eagle, poising himself for a moment 

 as if to take a more certain aim, descends like a whirlwind, snatches 

 it in his grasp ere it reaches the water, and bears his ill-gotten booty 

 silently away to the woods." 



The Bald Eagle is very abundant during the summer months at 

 the mouth of the Kennebec River and among the islands of Casco 

 Bay. From the deck of the steamer one may at any time see sev- 

 eral of the gTeat birds in view, especially between Sequin Island and 

 Bath. " The nest of this species," says Wilson, " is generally fixed 

 on a large and lofty tree — often in a swamp or morass— and difficult 

 to be ascended. On some noted tree of this description — often a 

 pine or cypress — the Bald Eagle builds eveiy year for a long series 



