EAGLES AND ART. 
268 
checks its career, and reassumes its former steady flight. 
When at an immense height, and as if observing an object 
on the ground, it closes its wings, and glides through the 
air with such rapidity as to cause a loud rustling sound, not 
unlike that produced by a violent gust of wind passing 
amongst the branches of trees. Its fall towards the earth 
can scarcely be followed by the eye on such occasions, the 
more particularly that these falls or glidings through the air 
usually take place when they are least expected." 
Nothing can exceed the cool audacity and overbearing 
vehemence of this bird, except perhaps the spirit of the 
country it symbols. In powers of adaptation, versatility of 
resource and sublimity of action, the resemblance is no less 
complete, than in a mutual unscrupulousness and omnivor- 
ous rapacity. 
Mr. Audubon quotes, with often-expressed approbation, 
an opinion of Dr. Franklin in which the Sage expresses his 
regret that the White-headed Eagle had been chosen as the 
representative of our country, on the ground that it is a 
plundering and dishonest bird. We, too, regret the fact — 
not that it has been chosen, but that it was most fit and ap- 
propriate that it should have been. It is too late in the day 
now for us to mince matters and talk of regret that the ty- 
rannical Eobber of the Fish-Hawk should be emblazoned on 
our national standard when our armies have but just returned 
from following that standard to the dismemberment of Mex- 
ico — to call it by its mildest name ! — and when each year it 
waves above a new line of military out-posts guarding new ter- 
ritory, of which we have dispossessed the aboriginal owners. 
Plundering Fish-Hawks indeed ! — we come of a race of 
Bobbers, and the Anglo-Norman wild -fire yet riots in our 
veins. The only consolation is, that in most instances we, 
in obeying this predatory instinct, have acted magnificently 
■ — as our Eagles rob. 
This feat of robbing the Fish-Hawk, when you consider 
the comparative size, strength and power of pinion of the 
