226 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
“The white-headed, or bald, eagle is the most 
beautiful one of his tribe, and the one who figures as 
the adopted emblem of our country. The term 4 bald ’ 
is absurd enough, as his head is thickly covered with 
feathers; it has probably been applied because the 
head is white, while the rest of his plumage is dark. 
This powerful bird measures no less than three feet 
in length and seven feet from wing to wing ; the color 
of his plumage is a deep, dark brown, each feather 
tipped with pale brown, except the head, neck, and 
tail, which are white when the bird is three years old. 
The beak and talons are sharp and strongly curved, 
the edge of the beak being as sharp as the blade of 
a knife. It is straight until within a short distance 
of the tip, when it suddenly and sharply curves down- 
ward. ‘The power of the eagle in pursuit of its prey 
is terrific. It seems to hurl itself like a cannon-ball 
upon the doomed creature, and often strikes it dead 
before it reaches the ground. This is accomplished 
by the force of its projection concentrating itself on 
the talons, and especially on the hinder claw. Before 
the terrific power of this claw bones are fractured, 
although defended by feathers, the body is ripped 
up, and life extinguished, although the prey is flying 
away in the same direction as its pursuer.’ 
“ The nest of this eagle is usually seen on a very 
large and lofty tree, generally a pine or cypress stand- 
