WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 



16] 



A^;^^^'^" ^^(ifivU^ P\ 



powerful than himself; the 

 white-headed eagle must not 

 be judged of as he appears in 

 captivity, mewed up in the 

 narrow confines of a cell. 

 Let us, then, turn to the 

 delightful volumes of the 

 American Ornithology for his 

 true character. 



^'^This distinguished bird," 

 says Wilson, " as he is the 

 most beautiful of his tribe, 

 and the adopted emblem of 

 our country, is entitled to 

 particular notice. Formed 

 by nature for braving the 

 severest cold; feeding equally 

 on the produce of the sea and of the land ; possessing 

 powers of flight capable of outstripping even the tem- 

 pests ; unawed by any thing but man ; and, from the 

 etherial heights to which he soars, looking abroad, at 

 one glance, on an immeasurable expanse of forests, fields, 

 lakes, and ocean, deep below him ; he appears indifferent 

 to the little vicissitudes of change of season, as, in a few 

 minutes, he can pass from summer to winter, from the 

 lowest to the highest regions of the atmosphere : he is, 

 therefore, found at all seasons in the countries he in- 

 habits; but prefers the shores of sea coasts, and the larger 

 rivers and lakes, from the great partiality he has for 

 fish. In procuring these, he displays, in a singular 

 manner, the genius and energy of his character ; which 

 is fierce, contemplative, daring, and tyrannical, — attri- 

 butes not exerted but on particular occasions, but, when 

 put forth, overpowering all opposition. Elevated on the 

 high dead limb of some gigantic tree, he seems calmly 

 to contemplate the motions of the various feathered tribes 

 below, pursuing their busy avocations ; — the snow-white 

 gulls winnowing the air — the busy Tringa coursing along 

 the sands — trains of ducks, streaming over the sur- 

 al 



