68 DIVISION I. VERTEBRAL ANIMALS.—CLASS II. AVES. 
spread beneath her tail to aid her in her flight. She approaches, however. 
The eagle has marked her for his prey. As the swan is passing the dreaded 
pair, starts from his perch the male bird in preparation for the chase, with 
an awful scream, that, to the swan’s ear, brings more terror than the 
report of the large duck-gun. Now is the moment to witness the display 
of the eagle’s powers. He glides through the air like a falling star, and, 
like a flash of lightning, comes upon the timorous quarry, which now, in 
agony and despair, secks by various mancuyres to elude the grasp of his 
cruel talons. It mounts, doubles, and willingly would plunge into the 
stream were it not prevented by the eagle, which, possessed of the knowl- 
edge that by such a stratagem the swan might escape him, forces it to 
remain in the air by attempting to strike it with his talons from beneath. 
The hope of escape is soon given up by the swan. It has already become 
much weakened, and its strength fails at the sight of the courage and swift- 
ness of its antagonist. Its last gasp is about to escape, when the ferocious 
eagle strikes with its talons the under side of its wing, and, with unresisted 
power, forces the bird to fall, in a slanting direction, upon the nearest shore. 
It is then that you may see the cruel spirit of this dreaded enemy of the 
feathered race, whilst exulting over his prey he for the first time breathes 
with ease. Ie presses down his powerful feet, and drives his sharp claws 
deep into the heart of the dying bird; he shrieks with delight as he feels the 
Jast conyulsions of his prey, which has now sunk under his efforts to render 
death as painful as it possibly can be. The female has watched every move- 
ment of her mate; and if she did not assist him in capturing the swan, it 
was not from want of will, but merely that she felt full assurance that the 
power and courage of her lord were quite sufficient for the deed. She now 
sails to the spot where he eagerly awaits her; and when she has arrived, 
they together turn the breast of the luckless swan upwards, and gorge them- 
selves with gore.” 
The White-headed Eagle is seldom scen alone, but generally in company 
with its mate; the union continues during life; they hunt for the support 
of each other, and feed together. The nest is usually placed on some tall 
tree, with a massive, towering stem, destitute of branches for a considerable 
height. It is composed of sticks, clods, weeds, and moss, and measures five 
or six feet in diameter; and, being annually augmented by fresh layers (for 
it is used year after year), it is often as much in depth. The eggs are from 
two to four in number, and of a dull white. The attachment of the parents to 
their young is very ereat; and they provide abundantly for their support, 
bringing home fish, squirrels, young lambs, opossums, raccoons, &e. 
The Harpy Nagle (Harpyia destructor) is a native of Guiana, and 
other parts of South America, where it frequents the deep recesses of the 
