THE WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 67 
that he saw one flying with a lamb ten days old, but which, from the vio- 
lence of its struggles, it was obliged to drop at the height of a few feet 
fete} 
from the, ground. He added that, by running up and hallooing, he pre- 
g 
vented it from again seizing the lamb, whose back it had broken, and to 
whose misery he put an instant termination. The dam seemed astonished 
to see its offspring suddenly snatched up and borne off by a bird. Sheep, 
if old or sickly, are also subject to the attacks of these tyrants of the feath- 
ered race; nor do they reject carrion, keeping the vultures (over which they 
often exercise their despotism) at a respectful distance, waiting till they have 
gorged their fill and departed. Now and then they procure fish for them- 
selves in shallow places, wading in the water, and striking at them with 
their beak. They 
quoted Wilson’s animated description of the attack of the White-headed 
have been known even to attack children. We have 
Eagle upon the fish-hawk or osprey ; and we will now transcribe Audubon’s 
equally graphie details of a different conflict : — 
AZAR give you,” he writes, “some idea of the nature of this bird, permit 
me to place you on the Mississippi, on which you may float gently along, 
while approaching winter brings millions of water-fowls, on whistling wings, 
from the countries of the north, to seek a milder climate in which to sojourn 
for a season. The eagle is seen perched, in an erect attitude, on the sum- 
mit of the tallest tree by the margin of the broad stream. His glistening 
but stern eye looks over the vast expanse ; he listens attentively to every 
sound that comes to his quick ear from afar, glancing every now and then 
on the earth beneath, lest even the light tread of the fawn may pass un- 
heard. Tis mate is perched on the opposite side, and, should all be tran- 
quil and silent, warns him by a ery to continue patient. At this well-known 
call, he partly opens his broad wings, inclines his body a little downwards, 
and answers to her voice in tones not unlike the laugh of a maniac. The 
next moment he resumes his erect attitude, and again all around is silent. 
Ducks of many species — the teal, the widgeon, the mallard, and others — 
are seen passing with great rapidity, and following the course of the cur- 
rent, but the eagle heeds them not; they are at that time beneath his 
attention. The next moment, however, the wild, trumpet-like sound of a 
yet distant but approaching swan is heard. A shriek from the female eagle 
comes across the stream, for she is fully as alert as her mate. The latter 
suddenly shakes the whole of his body, and, with a few touches of his bill, 
aided by the action of his cuticular muscles, arranges his plumes in an 
instant. The snow-white bird is now in sight; her long neck is stretched 
forward; her eye is on the watch, vigilant as that of her enemy; her large 
wings seem with difficulty to support the weight of her body, although they 
flap incessantly ; so irksome do her exertions seem, that her very legs are 
