804 
WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 
greatest collection of tliem at the mouth of the Brazos river, 
of Texas. Twenty or thirty of them are constantly congre- 
gated at this place, during the spring months, to feed upon 
the great shoals of the luscious red fish which then make 
their appearance here ; though otherwise a barren and un- 
couth spot it is, constantly enlivened by the aerial gambols 
of these powerful and graceful flighted birds, and many's 
the battle between them and the Bald Eagle that I have wit- 
nessed among the clouds at this place. They seemed to 
have formed a sort of colony for mutual protection, and the 
moment their foe, the eagle, made his appearance among 
them the cry of alarm was raised, and the vigilant colonists, 
hurrying from all quarters, attacked the robber without hesi- 
tation, and always succeeded in driving him away. 
There was always a desperate battle first before the savage 
monarch could be routed, and I have seen them gathered 
about him in such numbers — whirling and tumbling amidst 
a chaos of floating feathers through the air — that it was im- 
possible for a time to distinguish which was the eagle, until 
having got enough of it amidst such fearful odds, he would 
fain turn tail, and with most undignified acceleration of 
flight, would dart toward the covert of the heavy forest to 
hide his baffled royalty and shake off his pertinacious foes 
amidst the boughs, as do the smaller hawks when teased by 
the little King-birds. I was told by the residents of Yalas- 
co, at the mouth, — who from sympathy with the Fish-Hawks 
seemed to greatly relish the scenes — that year after year the 
eagles made persevering attempts to obtain a lodgment in the 
neighborhood of this colony, but were always promptly re- 
pulsed and finally driven off! This, therefore, formed a 
secure breeding-place as well as feeding-ground for these mild 
and amiable birds. There were several of their nests in full 
view of the river, and many more, I was told, in the sur- 
rounding forest. 
These birds possess many traits of gentle loyalty which 
