42 HABITS OF THE WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 



as tlie type of the American nation, urging as Ms grounds for opj)osition, that it is "a bird of 

 bad moral character, and does not get his living honestly." 



The Bald Eagle is very accommodating in his appetite, and will eat almost anything that 

 has ever possessed animal life. He is by no means averse to carrion, and has been seen seated 

 regally upon a dead horse, keej^ing at a distance a horde of vultures which were collected 

 round the carcase, and not permitting them to approach until he had gorged himself to the 

 full. Another individual was seen by Wilson in a similar state of things. He had taken 

 }X)ssessiou of a heap of dead squirrels that had been accidentally drowned, and j)revented any 

 other bird or beast of prey, from approaching his treasure. He is especially fond of lambs, 

 and is more than sus})ected of aiding the death of many a sickly sheep by the dexterous use of 

 his beak and claws. Sometimes he pays the penalty of his voracity, as was very recently the 

 case. A Bald Eagle had caiight a wild duck, and cari'ying it to a large piece of ice, tore his 

 prey in pieces, and began to eat it. Yv^hen he had linished his repast, he spread his wings for 

 flight, but found himself unable to stir, his feet having been firmly frozen to the ice. Several 

 persons who witnessed the scene endeavored to reach tlie bird, l)ut were miable, owing to the 

 masses of loose ice that intervened between the Eagle and the land. At last the poor bu^d 

 perished, as was supposed, having been seen to flap his useless wings in vain endeavors to 

 escape until night drew on and darkness hid him from view. 



The manner in which the Bald Eagle hunts for, procures, and kills his prey, is so admira- 

 bly told by Mr. Audubon, that it would be impossible to do justice to the subject without 

 quoting his own words : — 



"The Eagle is seen perched, in an erect attitude, on the summit of the tallest tree by the 

 margin of the broad stream. His glistening, but stem 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 unheard. His 

 mate is perched on the opposite side, and should all be ti-anquil and quiet, warns him, by a 

 cry, to continue patient. At this well-known call he partly opens his broad wing, inclines his 

 body a little do^vnwards, 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, tlie widgeon, the mallard, and others — are seen passing with great 

 rapidity, and following the course of the current, 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 approach- 

 ing 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, wdth 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 spread beneath her tail to aid her in her flight. She approaches, however. The 

 Eagle has marked lier for his prey. 



" As the swan is i)assing the dreaded pair, starts from his pearch the male bird, in prepara- 

 tion for the chase, with an awful scream, that to the swan's ears brings more terror than the 

 report of the large duck-gun. Now is the moment to witness the display of the Eagle's pow- 

 ers. He glides through tlie air like a falling star, and, like a flash of lightning, comes upon 

 the timorous quarry, which now, in agony and despair, seeks by various manoeuvres to elude 

 the grasp of his cruel talons. It mounts, doubles, and willingly would plunge into the stream, 

 were it not prevented by tlie Eagle, which, possessed of the knowledge that by such a strata- 

 gem 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 swiftness of its antagonist. Its last gasp 

 is about to escape, when the ferocious Eagle strikes with its talons the underside of its wing, 



