44 THE CINEREOUS, WHITE-TAILED, OR SEA EAGLE. 



steadied plumes, and the Eagle goes, dimmed with swiftness, roaring down to catch the 

 falling prey before it reach the wave. 



But the fish-hawk, although the mildest, the mostgenerous and social of all the Falconidse, 

 still recognises that point beyond which forbearance is no virtue. When the plundering 

 outrages of the bald Eagle have been at length carried to an intolerable extreme in any 

 particular locality, the lish-hawks in the neighbourhood combine in a common assault 

 upon the tyrannical robber. I have frequently witnessed such scenes along the coast of the 

 Gulf of Mexico. They abound in great numbers along the estuaries of its great rivers. 

 I remember particularly to have noted the greatest collection of them at the mouth of the 

 Brazos River, at Texas. Twenty or thirty of them are constantly congregated at this place 

 during the spring months, to feed uj)on the great shoals of the luscious red fish whicli then 

 make their appearance here ; though otherwise a barren and uncouth spot, it is constantly 

 enlivened by the aerial gambols of these powerful and graceful flighted birds, and many's 

 the battle between them and the bald Eagle that I have witnessed among the clouds at 

 this place. They seemed to have formed a sort of colony for mutual protection, and the 

 moment tlieir foe, the Eagle, made his appearance among them, the cry of alarm was raised, 

 and the vigilant colonists, hurrving from all quarters, attacked the robber without 

 hesitation, and always succeeded in driving him away. 



There was always a desperate battle first before the savage monarch could be routed, 

 and I have seen them gathered about him in such numbers, whirling and tumbling;- amidst 

 a chaos of floating feathers through the air, that it was impossible for a time to distinguish 

 which was the Eagle, until, having got enough of it amidst such fearful odds, he would 

 fain turn tail, and with most undignified acceleration of flight would dart toward the 

 covert of the heavy forest to hide his baffled royalty and shake off his pertinacious foes 

 amidst the bouglis, as do the smaller hawks when teased by the little king-birds. I was 

 told by the residents of Valasco, at the mouth, who from sympathy with the fish-hawks 

 seemed to greatly relish the scenes, that year after year the Eagles made persevering 

 attempts to attain a lodgment in the neighbourhood of this colony, but were always 

 promptly repulsed and finally driven off" 



There is but -one species of Osprey, although it has been thought that the American 

 bird ought to be reckoned as a different species. The general colour of the Osprey is 

 dark brown, but it is pleasingly varieg\ated with various shades of black, grey, and 

 white. The crown of the head and the nape of the neck are covered with long, grey-white 

 feathers, streaked with dark brown. The under surface of the body is white, with the 

 exception of a light brown band wliich extends across the chest. The primaries are brown 

 tipped with black, and the tail is barred above with a light and a deep brown, and below 

 with brown and white. The legs, toes, and cere are blue, the eyes golden yellow, and the 

 beak and claws black. 



The CiNEEEOUS, or Sea Eagle, is by far the most common of the larger British 

 Ealconidffi, being much more frequently seen than the golden Eagle. On account of the 

 peculiar white rounded tail the bird is sometimes called the White-tailed Eagle. 



This species is found in all parts of Europe, but is not known to visit America. As 

 it is a fish-loving bird, and is nearly as great an adept at angling as the osprey, it is 

 generally found on the sea-coast. It possesses, however, a very accommodating appetite, 

 and often makes considerable inland journeys in search of food. Young fawns, lambs, 

 hares, and other animals then fall victims to its hunger, and it is- said to watch for 

 disabled or dying deer, and to hasten their end by the injuries which it inflicts upon 

 them. On the shores, the Sea Eagle seems to have regular hunting-grounds, and to make 

 its rounds with perfect regularity, appearing at a certain spot at the same liour daily, 

 keeping an anxious eye on the multitude of sea fowl as they hover about the rock ledges 

 in attendance upon tlieir mates and families. 



One of these birds that was domesticated at Oxford for some years, and was very 

 generally known throughout the neighbourhood, contrived, on one occasion, to eat a 

 hedgehog that had strayed too near his quarters. It might naturally have been supposed 



