268 
WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIRDS. 
tlie ill-fated bird, they soon fatigue it, wlien it stretches out 
its neck, swims deeply, and makes for the shore, in the hope 
of concealing itself among the rank weeds. But this is of no 
avail, for the Eagles follow it in all its motions, and the mo- 
ment it approaches the margin, one of them darts upon it, 
and kills it in an instant, after which they divide the spoil." 
The hunters and Indians say that a pair of these birds will 
sometimes attack, with success, a deer or antelope, upon the 
prairies. They select some animal which, being wounded or 
for other cause, has separated itself from the herd. They 
assault it from above, something after the manner just de- 
scribed, striking in swift dives at the eyes with beak and 
talons, until the speed of the agonized creature is gradually 
checked, and reeling blindly along for a little while, it falls, 
to be torn an easy prey. The same fact is related concern- 
ing the Great Yulture of the East and the Condor of South 
America, both of which are known in this way to destroy 
large animals that have been ever so slightly wounded — 
being stimulated to the unusual assault by the smell of 
blood. 
The vital power of the Eagle is most amazing. In addi- 
tion to the surprising fact, that it has been known to live as 
many as twenty days without food, and exhibit little appa- 
rent distress therefrom, it has been found to be about invul- 
nerable to poisons, both gaseous and mineral, that are surely 
fatal to other creatures. Two instances in point are men- 
tioned in the Biography of Birds. In the first, a White- 
headed Eagle was sentenced to contribute to a cabinet of 
natural history, etc. 
" A variety of experiments was made with a view to de- 
stroy him without injuring his plumage, and a number of 
mineral poisons were successively given him in large doses, 
but without effect. At length a drachm of corrosive subli- 
mate of mercury was inclosed in a small fish, and given him 
to eat. After swallowing the whole of this, he continued to 
appearance perfectly well, and free from inconvenience. 
