98 white-headed, or bald eagle. 



thirteen pounds ; measured three feet in length, and seven 

 from tip to tip of the expanded wings ; was extremely fierce 

 looking ; though wounded, would turn his back to no one ; 

 fastened his claws into the head of a dog, and was with diffi- 

 culty disengaged. I have ridden on horseback within five or 

 six rods of one, who, by his bold demeanour, raising his 

 feathers, &c, seemed willing to dispute the ground with its 

 owner. The crop of the present was full of mutton, from my 

 part blood Merinos; and his intestines contained feathers, 

 which he probably devoured with a duck, or winter gull, as I 

 observed an entire foot and leg of some water fowl. I had 

 two killed previous to this, which weighed ten pounds avoir- 

 dupois each." 



The intrepidity of character, mentioned above, may be 

 further illustrated by the following fact, which occurred a few 

 years ago, near Great Egg Harbour, New Jersey. A woman, 

 who happened to be weeding in the garden, had set her child 

 down near, to amuse itself while she was at work ; when a 

 sudden and extraordinary rushing sound, and a scream from 

 her child, alarmed her, and starting up, she beheld the infant 

 thrown down, and dragged some few feet, and a large bald 

 eagle bearing off the fragment of its frock, which being the 

 only part seized, and giving way, providentially saved the life 

 of the infant. 



The appetite of the bald eagle, though habituated to long 

 fasting, is of the most voracious, and often a most indelicate 

 kind. Fish, when he can obtain them, are preferred to all 

 other fare. Young lambs and pigs are dainty morsels, and 

 made free with on all favourable occasions. Ducks, geese, 

 gulls, and other sea fowl, are also seized with avidity. The 

 most putrid carrion, when nothing better can be had, is accept- 

 able ; and the collected groups of gormandising vultures, on 

 the approach of this dignified personage, instantly disperse, 

 and make way for their master, waiting his departure in sullen 

 silence, and at a respectful distance, on the adjacent trees. 



In one of those partial migrations of tree squirrels that 



