WHITE-HEADED OR BALD EAGLE. 59 



It does not confine itself to these kinds of food, but greedily devours 

 young pigs, lambs, fawns, poultry, and the putrid flesh of carcasses of every 

 description, driving off the vultures and carrion crows, or the dogs, and 

 keeping a whole party at defiance until it is satiated. It frequently gives 

 chase to the vultures, and forces them to disgorge the contents of their 

 stomachs, when it alights and devours the filthy mass. A ludicrous instance 

 of this took place near the city of Natchez, on the Mississippi. Many Vul- 

 tures were engaged in devouring the body and entrails of a dead horse, when 

 a White-headed Eagle accidentally passing by, the Vultures all took to wing, 

 one among the rest with a portion of the entrails partly swallowed, and the 

 remaining part, about a yard in length, dangling in the air. The Eagle 

 instantly marked him, and gave chase. The poor vulture tried in vain to 

 disgorge, when the Eagle, coming up, seized the loose end of the gut, and 

 dragged the bird along for twenty or thirty yards, much against its will, 

 until both fell to the ground, when the Eagle struck the vulture, and in a few 

 moments killed it, after which he swallowed the delicious morsel. 



The Bald Eagle has the power of raising from the surface of the water 

 any floating object not heavier than itself. In this manner it often robs the 

 sportsman of ducks which have been killed by him. Its audacity is quite 

 remarkable. While descending the Upper Mississippi, I observed one of 

 these Eagles in pursuit of a Green-winged Teal. It came so near our boat, 

 although several persons were looking on, that I could perceive the glancings 

 of its eye. The Teal, on the point of being caught, when not more than 

 fifteen or twenty yards from us, was saved from the grasp of its enemy, one 

 of our party having brought the latter down by a shot, which broke one of 

 its wings. When taken on board, it was fastened to the deck of our boat by 

 means of a string, and was fed with pieces of catfish, some of which it began 

 to eat on the third day of its confinement. But, as it became a very disagree- 

 able and dangerous associate, trying on all occasions to strike at some one 

 with its talons, it was killed and thrown overboard. 



When these birds are suddenly and unexpectedly approached or surprised, 

 they exhibit a great degree of cowardice. They rise at once and fly off very 

 low, in zig-zag lines, to some distance, uttering a hissing noise, not at all 

 like their usual disagreeable imitation of a laugh. When not carrying a gun, 

 one may easily approach them; but the use of that instrument being to 

 appearance well known to them, they are very cautious in allowing a person 

 having one to get near them. Notwithstanding all their caution, however, 

 many are shot by approaching them under cover of a tree, on horseback, or 

 in a boat. They do not possess the power of smelling gunpowder, as the 

 crow and the raven are absurdly supposed to do; nor are they aware of the 

 effects of spring-traps, as I have seen some of them caught by these instru- 



