448 AVES—EAGLE 
descend at will to the torrid or the arctic regions of the earth. He 1s there- 
fore found at all seasons in the countries he inhabits, but prefers such places 
as have been mentioned above, from the great partiality he has for fisn. 
In procuring these he displays, in a very singular manner, the genius and 
energy of his character, which is fierce, contemplative, daring, and tyranni- 
eal; attributes not exerted but on particular occasions ; but when put forth, 
overpowering all opposition. 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 ; the snow white gulls slowly 
winnowing the air; the busy tringe coursing along the sands; trains of 
ducks streaming over the surface; silent and watchful cranes intent and 
wading ; clamorous crows, and all the winged multitudes that subsist by 
the bounty of this vast liquid magazine of nature. High over all these 
hovers one, whose action instantly arrests all his 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 opened 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 
disappears in the deep, making the surges foam around! At this moment 
the eager looks of the eagle are a‘l ardor, and levelling his neck for flight, 
he sees the fish-hawk once more emerge, struggling with his prey, and 
mounting in the air, with screams of exultation. These are the signals for 
our hero, who, launching into the air, instantly gives chase, soon gains on 
the fish-hawk, each exerts himself to the utmost to mount above the other, 
displaying in these rencontres the most elegant and sublime evolutions. 
The unencumbered eagle rapidly advances, and is just on the point of reach- 
ing his opponent, when, with a sudden scream, probably of despair and 
honest execration, 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 predatory attacks and defensive manceuvres of the eagle and the fish- 
hawk, are matters of daily observation along the whole of our seaboard, 
from Georgia to New England, and frequently excite great interest in the 
spectators. Sympathy, however, on this as on most other occasions, gene- 
rally sides with the honest and laborious sufferer, in opposition to the 
attacks of power, injustice, and rapacity; qualities for which our hero is so 
generally notorious, and which, in his superior man, are certainly detesta- 
ble. As for the feelings of the poor fish, they seem altogether out of the 
question. 
When driven, as he sometimes is, by the combined courage and perse- 
rerance of the fish-hawks, from their neighborhood, and forced to hunt for 
