OUR HOME BIRDS. 
203 
descent, and without seeming to dip his feet in the 
water, seizes a fish, which, after carrying a short dis- 
tance, he probably drops or yields up to the bald 
eagle, and again ascends, by easy, spiral circles, to 
the higher regions of the air, where he glides about 
in all the ease and majesty of his species. At once, 
from this sublime aerial height, he descends like a 
perpendicular torrent, plunging into the sea with 
a loud, rushing sound, and with the certainty of a 
rifle. 
“ ‘ In a few moments he emerges, bearing in his 
claws his struggling prey, which he always carries 
head foremost, and having risen a few T feet above 
the surface, shakes himself as a water-spaniel would 
do, and directs his heavy and laborious course di- 
rectly for the land. If the wind blows hard, and 
his nest lies in the quarter from whence it comes, 
it is amusing to observe with what judgment and 
exertion he beats to windward, not in a direct line, 
but making several successive tacks to gain his pur- 
pose. This will appear the more striking when we 
consider the size of the fish he sometimes bears 
along. A shad was taken from a fish-hawk who 
had already eaten a considerable portion of it, and 
the remainder weighed six pounds.’ ” 
“ I’d like to see him fishing,” said Malcolm with 
much interest. “ What queer things birds do !” 
