AVES— EAGLE. 445 



about a hundred yards from the foot of the rock. Never did time pass more 

 slowly ; I could not help betraying the most impatient curiosity, for my hopes 

 whispered it was a sea eagle's nest. Two long hours had elapsed before 

 the old bird made his appearance, which was announced to us by the loud 

 hissings of the two young ones, who crawled to the extremity of the hole to 

 receive a fine fish. I had a perfect view of this noble bird as he held him- 

 self to the edging rock, his tail spread, and his wings partly so, and hanging 

 something like the barn, bank, or social swajlow. I trembled lest a word 

 should escape from my companions; the slightest murmur had been treason 

 from them ; they entered into my feelings, and, although little interested, 

 gazed with me. In a few minutes the other parent joined her mate, which, 

 from the difference in size (the female being much larger,) we knew to be 

 the mother bird. She, also, had brought a fish ; but, more cautious than 

 her mate, ere she alighted, she glanced her quick and piercing eye around, 

 and instantly perceived her procreant bed had been discovered ; she dropped 

 her prey, with a loud shriek communicated the alarm to the mate, and, 

 hovering with him over our heads, kept up a growling, threatening cry, to 

 intimidate us from our suspected design. This watchful solicitude I have 

 ever found peculiar to the female. 



" The young having hid themselves, we went and picked up the fish which 

 the mother had let fall ; it was a white perch, weighing about five and a 

 half pounds ; the upper part of the head was broken in, and the back torn 

 by the talons of the eagle. We had plainly seen her bearing it in the man- 

 ner of the fish-hawk. 



" This day's sport being at an end, as we journeyed homewards we agreed 

 to return the next morning, being most anxious to procure both the old and 

 young birds; but rainy and tempestuous weather setting in, our expedition 

 was obliged to be postponed till the third day following, when, with guns 

 and men all in readiness, we reached the rock. Some posted themselves 

 at the foot, others upon it, but in vain. We passed the entire day, Avithout 

 either seeing or hearing an eagle ; the sagacious birds, no doubt, having 

 anticipated an invasion, had removed their young to fresh quarters. 



" I come at last to the day I had so often and so ardently desired. Two 

 years had gone by since the discovery of the nc- ^ fruitless excursions; 

 but my wishes were no longer to remain ungratitied. In returning from 

 the little village of Henderson, to the house of Dr R * * * * *, about a mile 

 distant, I saw one rise from a small inclosure not a hundred yards before 

 me, where the doctor had a few days before slaughtered some hogs, and 

 :i light upon a low tree branching over the road. I prepared my double- 

 barrelled piece, which I constantly carry, and went slowly and cautiously 

 towards him ; quite fearless he awaited my approach, looking upon me with 

 an undaunted eye. I fired, and he fell ; before I reached him he was dead. 

 With what delight I surveyed this magnificent bird ! Had the finest salmon 

 ever pleased him as he did me? — Never. I ran and presented him to my 



