THE BALD EAGLE . 
43 
and, with unresisted power, forces the bird to fall in a slanting direction upon the nearest 
shore. 
“It is then that you may see the cruel spirit of this dreaded enemy of the feathered race, 
whilst exulting over his prey, he for the first time breathes at his ease. He presses down his 
powerful feet, and drives his sharp claws deep into the heart of the dying swan ; he shrieks 
with delight as he feels the last convulsions of his prey, which has now sunk under his efforts 
to render death as painful as it possibly can be. The female has watched every movement of 
• her mate, and, if she did not assist him in capturing the swan, it was not from want of will, 
but merely that she felt full of assurance that the power and courage of her lord were quite 
sufficient for the deed. She now sails to the spot where he eagerly awaits her, and when she 
has arrived, they together turn the breast of the luckless swan upwards, and gorge themselves 
with gore.” 
The Bald Eagle is found throughout the whole of North America, and may be seen haunt- 
ing the greater part of the sea-coasts, as well as the mouths of the large rivers. 
Audubon remarks, that “the figure of this noble bird is well-known throughout the 
world. When it is in full adult feather, it is truly a beautiful as well as a powerful-looking 
bird. Its white head and tail are not perfected before the age of about ten years. Its brown 
plumage, seen in young birds, though they are full-grown, has been regarded as that of 
another species, before observers determined that it was only the plumage of immature 
birds.” 
Wilson, the inimitable pen-painter of birds, thus speaks of this grand bird : “ Formed by 
nature for braving the severest cold, feeding equally on the produce of the sea and of the land, 
possessing powers of flight capable of outstripping even the tempest, unawed by anything but 
man, and from the etherial heights to which he soars looking abroad, at one glance, on an im- 
measurable expanse of forest, fields, lakes, and ocean deep below him — he appears indifferent 
to the little localities of change of seasons, as in a few minutes he can pass from summer to 
winter, from the lower to the higher regions of the atmosphere. He is, therefore, found at all 
seasons, in the countries which he inhabits, but prefers such places as have been mentioned 
above for the great partiality he has for fish. Elevated on the high dead limb of some gigantic 
tree that commands a wide view of the neighboring shore and ocean, he seems calmly to con- 
template the motions of the various -feathered tribes that pursue their avocations below. High 
over all these hovers one whose action instantly arrests his whole attention. By his wide cur- 
vature of wing and sudden suspension in air, he knows him to be the Fish Hawk, settling over 
some devoted victim of the deep. His eye kindles at the sight, and, balancing himself, with 
half-opened wings, on the branch, he watches the result. Down, rapid as an arrow from 
heaven, descends the distant object of his attention, the roar of his wings reaching the ear as 
it disappears in the deep, making the surges foam around. At this moment the eager looks 
of the Eagle are all ardor, and levelling his neck for flight, he sees the Fish Hawk once more 
emerge, struggling with his prey, and mounting in the air with screams of exultation. These 
are the signals for our hero, who, launching into the air instantly, gives chase, and soon gains 
on the Hawk. Each exerts his utmost to mount above the other, displaying in their rencontre 
the most elegant aerial evolutions. The unencumbered Eagle rapidly advances, and is just on 
the point of reaching his opponent, when, with a sudden scream, the latter drops his fish. 
The Eagle, poising himself for a moment, as if to take a more certain aim, descends like a 
whirlwind, snatches it in his grasp ere it reaches the water, and bears his ill-gotten booty 
silently to the woods.” 
The Bald Eagle is very abundant on the Kennebec River, which the osprey frequents to 
catch the river fish. 
Audubon described and figured an Eagle, which was so large and commanding, that he 
called it “the Bird of Washington” (. Haliaeius Washing toni). No other specimen has been 
found which answers to the description, excepting the immaturely plumaged females of the 
Bald Eagle species. It is, therefore, pretty well decided that Audubon’s bird was an un- 
usually large specimen of a female. The females of all species of the Falcon family are 
