258 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



[Eagles. 



obtained for it the name of the Calumet Eagle. 

 Indeed so highly are these ornaments prized, that a 

 warrior will often exchange a valuable horse for the 

 tail-feathers of a single eagle. 



The age attained by the" eagle is very great : one 

 that died at Vienna is said to have lived in confine- 

 ment one hundred and four years. 



As is the case with all the Falconidse, the young 

 and old birds differ in the colour and markings of 

 the plumage, a circumstance which, before it was 

 clearly understood, led to the erroneous multiplica- 

 tion of species, as the works of the older naturalists 

 abundantly testify. 



The old birds have the top of the head and back 

 of the neck covered with slender-pointed feathers of 

 a bright golden red : all the other parts of the body 

 are obscure brown, more or less blackish according 

 to the age of the individual ; inside of the thighs 

 and feathers of the tarsus clear brown ; no white 

 feathers among the scapulars ; tail deep grey, regu- 

 larly barred with blackish brown, and terminated 

 at the end by a large band of that colour ; beak 

 horn-colour ; iris brown ; cere and feet yellow. In 

 this state M. Temminck considers it to be the 

 Aquila fulva of Meyer ; Falco niger, Gmelin ; Falco 

 fulvus and F. Canadensis, Gmelin ; Falco chrysae- 

 tos, Linnaeus ; Aigle royal, Buffon ; Grand Aigle, 

 Gerard. 



Length about three feet ; expanse of wings about 

 eight feet. Female three feet and a half in'length ; 

 expanse of wing nine feet. 



Young birds of one or two years old, the Ring- 

 tail Eagle of various writers, have all the plumage 

 of a ferruginous or clear reddish brown, uniform on 

 all parts of the body. Lower tail- coverts whitish ; 

 inside of the thighs and feathers of the tarsus white ; 

 tail white from the base to three-fourths of its 

 length, but afterwards brown to the end. In the 

 third year the adult plumage is assumed. The 

 females, as in all the Falconidae, exceed the males 

 in size, contrary to the general law. 



The nest of the golden eagle is composed of 

 sticks, twigs, rushes, heath, &c, and is generally 

 placed upon the jutting ledge of some inaccessible 

 precipice : here it rears its young, generally two, 

 sometimes three, in number, feeding them with 

 bleeding morsels of the yet warm victim. In forests 

 the nest is placed near the summit of a lofty tree. 



Fig. 1207 represents an eagle flown at a wolf. 



1208. — The Imperial Eagle 



(Aquila imperialis, Temminck) ; Aquila heliaca, 

 Vieillot. This species is closely allied to the golden 

 eagle, but has longer wings and large white sea- 

 pulary feathers. It is extremely powerful, fierce, 

 and destructive. The imperial eagle inhabits the 

 mountain districts of the south of Europe and the 

 adjacent countries of Asia, but is never seen in the 

 British Islands. 



1209. — The White-Headed Eagle 



(Halieeetus leucocephalus) ; Bald Eagle, Latham 

 and Wilson ; Falco ossifragus (young), Wilson. 

 The characters of the genus Haliseetus may be 

 summed up as follows: — Bill elongated, strong, 

 straight at the base, curving in a regular arc in 

 advance of the cere to the tip, and forming a deep 

 hook ; nostrils transverse, large, lunate. Wings 

 ample ; the fourth quill-feather the longest. Legs 

 having the tarsi half-feathered, the front of the 

 naked part seutellated, and the sides and back reti- 

 culated. Toes divided to their origin ; the outer 

 one versatile. Claws hooked and strong, grooved 

 beneath ; claw of hind-toe the largest, and next 

 that of the inner toe. See Fig. 1210, the Head and 

 Foot of the White-headed Eagle. 



Of the present genus several species, generally 

 called Fishing or Sea Eagles, are known, as the 

 Chilian Sea-Eagle (H. aguia), the Cape Fishing- 

 Eagle of South Africa (H. vocifer), the Sea-Eagle, 

 Erne, White-tailed Eagle, or- Cinereous Eagle (H. 

 albicilla, Selby) of Europe and the British Isles, 

 and the White-headed Eagle of America. It is the 

 latter that will more particularly engage our present 

 attention. 



This species (like its British representative) varies 

 greatly in its plumage at different stages of life : 

 hence" the Cree Indians, who term the species Mee- 

 keeshew, add other epithets by way of distinction. 

 The mature bird is called Wapustiquan-Meekee- 

 shew, or White-headed Eagle ; the immature bird, 

 Appisk-Meekeeshew, or Black-headed Eagle ; and 

 the yearling bird, Meekeeseeseesh. 



This noble bird, emblazoned on the national 

 standard of the United States of America (not much 

 to the satisfaction of Benjamin Franklin), is spread 

 throughout nearly the whole of the northern divi- 

 sion of the New World, and is common along the 

 course of the larger rivers, and at their embou- 

 chures, as well as along the coast of inland lakes 

 and of the sea. 



"The celebrated cataract of Niagara," says Wilson, 

 "is a noted place of resort for the bald eagle, as 



well on account of the fish procured there, as for 

 the numerous carcasses of squirrels, deer, bears, and 

 various other animals, that, in their attempts to 

 cross the river above the falls, have been dragged 

 into the current, and precipitated down that tre- 

 mendous gulf, where, among the rocks that bound 

 the rapids below, they furnish a rich repast for the 

 vulture, the raven, and the subject of the present 

 account." " Formed by nature for braving the 

 severest cold ; feeding equally on the produce of 

 the sea and of the land ; possessing powers of flight 

 capable of outstripping even the tempests them- 

 selves ; unawed by anything but man ; and from the 

 ethereal heights to which he soars, looking abroad 

 at one glance over an immeasurable expanse of 

 forests, fields, lakes, and ocean deep below him, he 

 appears indifferent to the change of seasons, as in a 

 few minutes he can pass from summer to winter, 

 from the lower to the higher regions of the atmos- 

 phere, the abode of eternal cold, and thence de- 

 scend at will to the torrid or to the arctic regions 

 of the earth : he is therefore found at all seasons in 

 the countries he inhabits, but pre£8 such places as 

 have been mentioned above, 'V \e great par- 

 tiality he has for fish." " "' . t these, he 

 displays, in a very singular ma . mius and 

 energy of his character, which it "empla- 

 tive, daring, and tyrannical; attrib erted 

 but. on particular occasions, but, when put forth, 

 overpowering all opposition. Elevateu jgh, 

 dead limb of some gigantic tree that c, 

 wide view of the neighbouring shore and 

 seems calmly to contemplate the motions c 

 various feathered tribes that pursue their busy 

 cations below — the snow-white gulls slowly wa 

 nouing the air, the busy tringae coursing along the 

 sands, silent and watchful cranes intent and wading, 

 clamorous crows, and all the winged multitudes 

 that subsist by the bounty of this vast magazine of 

 nature. High over all these hovers one whose 

 action instantly arrests his whole attention. By his 

 wide curvature of wing and sudden suspension in 

 air, he knows him to be the fish-hawk, settling 

 over some devoted victim of the deep. His eye 

 kindles at the sight, and, balancing himself with 

 half-opened wings on the branch, he awaits the 

 result. Down, rapid as an arrow, from heaven de- 

 scends the distant object of his attention, the roar of 

 its wings reaching the ear as it disappears in the 

 deep, making the surges foam around. At this 

 moment the eager looks of the eagle are all ardour; 

 and, levelling his neck for flight, he sees the fish- 

 hawk once more emerge struggling with his prey, 

 and mounting in the air with screams of exultation. 

 These are the signal for the eagle, who, launching 

 into the air, instantly 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 evolutions. The 

 unencumbered eagle rapidly advances, and is just 

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

 sudden scream, probably of despair and honest ex- 

 ecration, 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." It is this 

 eloquent descriptive passage which the representa- 

 tion, Fig. 1209, is intendedto illustrate. 



This is not the only mode in which the white- 

 headed eagle procures nis sustenance. Young 

 lambs and pigs, ducks, geese, swans, and various 

 sea-fowl, are attacked and carried away. Mr. J. 

 Gardiner stated to Wilson that he had seen one fly- 

 ing with a lamb ten days old, but which, from the 

 violence of its struggles, it was obliged to drop, at 

 the height of a few feet from the ground. He adds 

 that, by running up and hallooing, he prevented it 

 from again seizing the lamb, whose back it had 

 broken, and to whose misery he put an instant ter- 

 mination. The dam seemed astonished to see its 

 offsprinsr suddenly snatched up, and borne off by a 

 bird. Sheep, if old or sickly, are also subject to the 

 attacks of 1hese tyrants of the feathered race ; nor 

 do they reject carrion, keeping the vultures (over 

 which they often exercise their despotism) at a re- 

 spectful distance, waiting till they have gorged their 

 fill and departed. Now and then they procure fish 

 for themselves in shallow places, wading in the 

 water, and striking at them with their beak. They 

 have been known even to attack children. We 

 have quoted Wilson's animated description of the 

 attack of the white-headed eagle upon the fish- 

 hawk or osprey ; and, in justice to Mr. Audubon, 

 we will transcribe his equally graphic details of a 

 different conflict : — " To give you," he writes, 

 " some idea of the nature of this bird, permit me to 

 place you on the Mississippi, on which you may 

 float gently along, while approaching winter brings 

 millions of" water-fowl, on whistling wings, from the 

 countries of the north, to seek a milder climate in 

 which to sojourn for a season. The eagle is seen 

 perched, in an erect attitude, on the summit of the 



tallest tree by the margin of the broad stream. His 

 glistening but stern eye looks over the vast ex- 

 panse; he listens attentively to every sound that 

 comes to his quick ear from afar, glancing every 

 now and then on the earth beneath, lest even the 

 light tread of the fawn may pass unheard. His 

 mate is perched on the opposite side, and, should 

 all be tranquil and silent, warns him, by a cry, to 

 continue patient. At this well-known call he partly 

 opens his broad wings, inclines his body a little 

 downwards, and answers to her voice in tones not 

 unlike the laugh of a maniac. The next moment 

 he resumes his erect attitude, and again all around 

 is silent. Ducks of many species— the teal, the 

 widgeon, the mallard, and others— are seen passing 

 with great rapidity, and following the course of the 

 current, but the eagle heeds them not : they are at 

 that time beneath his attention. The next moment, 

 however, the wild trumpet-like sound of a yet dis- 

 tant but approaching swan is heard. A shriek from 

 the female eagle comes across the stream, for she 

 is fully as alert as her mate. The latter suddenly 

 shakes the whole of his body, and, with a few 

 touches of his bill, aided by the action of his cuti- 

 cular muscles, arranges his plumes in an instant. 

 The snow-white bird is now in sight ; her long neck 

 is stretched forward ; her eye is on the watch", vigi- 

 lant as that of her enemy; her large wings seem 

 with difficulty to support the weight of her body, 

 although they flap incessantly: so irksome do her 

 exertions seem, that her very legs are spread 

 beneath her tail to aid her in her flight. She 



ipioaches however. The eagle has marked her 

 his prey. As the swan is passing the dreaded 

 tarts from his perch the male bird in prepara- 

 the chase, with an awful scream, that to the 

 brings more terror than the report of the 

 run. Now is the moment to witness the 

 dii a eagle's powers. He glides through 



tlif . Hing star, and, like a flash of light- 



ning, v. the timorous quarry, which now, 



in agom '", seeks by various manoeuvres 



to elude ll his cruel talons. It mounts, 



doubles, and I ould plunge into the stream 



were it not prt i e eagle, which, possessed 



of the knowledge h a stratagem the swan 



might escape him, i remain in the air by 



attempting to strike h Eli 'Ions from beneath. 



The hope of escape is up by the swan. 



It has already become 1 ened, and its 



strength fails at the sight of Hi ;e and swift- 



ness of its antagonist. Its about to 



escape, when the ferocious e;. with its 



talons the under side of its wing, h unre- 



sisted power, forces the bird to fa lanling 



direction upon the nearest shore. n that 



you may see the cruel spirit of this nemy 



of the feathered race, whilst, exulting prey, 



he, for the first time, breathes at ease. asses 



down his powerful feet, and drives hi>. 'aws 



deep into the heart of the dying swan , eks 



with delight as he feels the last convulsions Dl his 

 prey, which has now sunk under his eff nts to ren- 

 der death as painful as it possibly can be. The 

 female has watched every movement of 1 

 and if she did not assist him in capturing 

 it was not from want of will, but merely that she 

 felt full assurance that the power and courage oi 

 her lord were quite sufficient for the dee* 

 now sails to the spot where he eagerly avvaiu 

 and when she has arrived, they together tun 

 breast of the luckless swan upwards, and - t 

 themselves with gore." 



The white-headed eagle is seldom seen al 

 but generally in company with its mate ; the m 

 continues during life ; they hunt for the support of 

 each other, and feed together. The nest is usually 

 placed on some tall tree, with a massive towcrii g 

 stem destitute of branches for a considerable heigl 

 It is composed of sticks, clods, weeds, and raps 

 and measures five or six ft»et in diameter ; and bein 

 annually augmented by fresh layers (for it is use- 

 year after year), it is often as much in depth. Tin 

 eggs are from two to four in number, and of a dull 

 white. The attachment of the parents to thei 

 young is very great; and they provide abundant] 

 for their support, bringing home fish, squirrel- 

 young lambs, opossums, racoons, &c. Incubation 

 commences in January. 



This eagle requires at least four years before | 

 attains the full beauty of its plumage, and acqui 

 the white head and neck; but it breeds the fi 

 spring after birth. Colour of adult :— general p 

 mage of a deep chocolate, approaching black ; he 

 neck, tail, and upper tail-coverts white. 



1211, 1212. — The Ospbey, Fish-hawk, oe Baj 

 Buzzard 



(Pandion Haliaetus, Savigny) ; Le Balbu.- 

 Buffon. The generic characters of the g 

 Pandion are these :— beak rounded above ; 

 hispid ; nostrils lunulated ; tarsi naked, and co^ 

 anteriorly with rigid reticulated scales. Toes 



