THE WHITE-HEADED SEA-EAGLE. 43 



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 eao'er looks of the Eagle 

 are all ardour ; 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 signal for our Hero, who, 

 launching into the air, instantly gives chase, soon gains 

 on the Fish-Hawk, each exerts his utmost to mount 

 above the other, displaying in these rencontres the 

 most elegant and sublime aerial evolutions. The unin- 

 cumbered Eagle rapidly advances, and is just on the 

 point of reaching 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." 



Sometimes, however, the Fish-Hawks assemble in 

 bands too numerous for him to encounter, and he is 

 driven to hunt for himself. He then usually retires 

 inland, and occasionally destroys great numbers of 

 young pigs and lambs. At other times he contents 

 himself with fowl ; and ducks, geese, and gulls fall 

 victims to his insatiable appetite. His nest is com- 

 monly built on the top of a large tree, generally a pine 

 or a cypress, and growing in the midst of a morass. 

 It is formed of sticks, sods, hay, moss, and other 

 similar materials ; and being repaired and added to 

 year after year at length becomes a large black promi- 

 nent mass, observable at a considerable distance. The 



