THE BALD EAOLE. 175 



Bald Eagle, the rest of his plumage being quite sim- 

 ilar to that of his less dignified companions, but from 

 whom he may be readily distinguished by the greater 

 ease of his motions, as well as his more majestic ap- 

 pearance. While the Turkey Buzzard sails in con- 

 tracted circles, or swims oflF in a wide curve, the 

 Eagle, as if conscious of his superiority, floats upon 

 his unmoving wing as though he would compass in 

 one vast sweep the broad expanse of Heaven ; or 

 sometimes, when at his greatest altitude, hardly ap- 

 pearing as more than a black speck in the dim dis- 

 tance, he will fold his wings and descend with the 

 velocity of thought toward the earth, when suddenly 

 unfurling his broad pinions, he checks his downward 

 course, and glides off like an arrow to a distant 

 quarter. 



The Eagles often resort to stratagem to secure their 

 prey, being well aware that ducks, and other water- 

 fowl on which they feed, can readily elude their grasp 

 by diving beneath the water and again appearing 

 above the surface at some distance. To meet this 

 diiEculty, they will hunt in pairs; and having dis- 

 covered the object of their search, will ascend into 

 the air in opposite directions until they have reached 

 a considerable height, when one of them immediately 

 glides with great swiftness toward the place where 

 the bird is engaged quietly seeking its food ; the 

 latter, observing his intentions, dives the moment 

 before he reaches the spot, but upon again rising to 

 the surface he is met by the second Eagle, whose 

 keen vision may have traced his course under the 



