* THE BALD EAGLE — RING-TAILED EaGLE. 103 



And lest that some Raptors, as Kestril or Kite — 

 All those with sharp claws and in death that delight, 



attack the salmon, and even the seal, it is said that it cannot 

 dive after it. Pliny thus describes the manner of this bird'* 

 taking its tinny prey: "Superest Haliasetos, clarissima oculorum 

 acie, librans ex alto sese, visoque in mari pisce, praeceps in 

 euro mens, et discussis pectore aquis rapiens." See Note 2, 

 Part ii. for a poetical imitation of this description by. Mr. 

 Gisborne ; see also below, article Haliceetos. 



The Leucoccphalus, or Bald Eagle, has a brown body ; head 

 and tail white ; cere and legs yellow ; three feet three inches 

 loug; feeds on hogs, lambs, and fish ; nest large, on trees ; eggs 

 two ; inhabits the woods of Europe and America. Wilson 

 thinks this the same as the Ossif vagus, in a different stage of 

 colour. The following picture from the masterly hand of that 

 author will convey some idea of a habit of this bird : 



" High o'er the watery uproar silent seen 

 Sailing sedate in majesty serene, 

 Now 'midst the pillar'd spray sublimely lost, 

 And now emerging, down the rapids toss'd, 

 Glides the Bald Eagle, gazing, calm and slow, 

 O'er all the horrors of the scene below : 

 Intent alone to sate himself with blood, 

 From the torn victims of the raging flood." 



Wilson's American Ornithology. 



The Fulvus, Ring-tailed Eagle, or Black Eagle, inhabit? 

 Great Britain, Europe, Asia, and America ; length two feet 

 and a half, Wilson says nearly three feet. This bird is trained 

 by the Tartars to hunt hares, antelopes, and foxes. The tail 

 has a white band, whence, of course, its name. The quill fea- 

 thers are used to mount arrows. There is a variety with a 

 white tail, the tip of which is brown. 



It is a very destructive bird ; rare in the south of this king- 



