268 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



mounting in the air with screams of exultation. These are 

 the signal for the eagle, who, launching into the air, in- 

 stantly gives chase and 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 evolu- 

 tions. The unincumbered eagle rapidly advances, and is 

 just on the point of reaching his opponent, when, with a 

 sudden scream, probably of despair and honest execra- 

 tion, 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." 



5. We will next hear from the poet Alfred B. Street. 

 It will be seen that here the hawk is represented as the 

 robber, while the eagle redresses the wrong and avenges 

 the outrages perpetrated upon the poor kingfisher. To be 

 sure, he secures the prey in the end, but we must not 

 expect from a poet a too close scrutiny into motives. 

 6. "With storm-daring pinion and sun-gazing eye, 

 The gray forest eagle is king of the sky ! 

 Oh, little he loves the green valley of flowers, 

 Where sunshine and song cheer the bright summer 



hours, 

 For he hears in those haunts only music, and sees 

 Only rippling of waters and waving of trees ; 

 There the red robin warbles, the honey-bee hums, 

 The timid quail whistles, the sly partridge drums ; 

 And if those proud pinions, perchance, sweep along, 

 There's a shrouding of plumage, a hushing of song ; 

 The sunlight falls stilly on leaf and on moss, 

 And there's naught but his shadow black gliding across ; 

 But the dark, gloomy gorge, where down plunges the 



foam 

 Of the fierce roek-lashed torrent, he claims as his home : 



