THE RING-TAIL, OR GOLDEN EAGLE. 
267 
0r ies 
and courage; and the young Indian warrior 
hj s eagle plume as the most honourable 
foment with which he can adorn himself. Its 
Others are attached to the calumets, or smoking 
fl'f's, u S ed by the Indians in the celebration of their 
,1’^mn festivals, which has obtained for it the name of 
, * calumet eagle. Indeed, so highly are these orna- 
>ts prized, that a warrior will often exchange a 
Shle horse for the tail feathers of a single eagle. 
«e strength of vision of this bird must almost exceed 
Caption, for it can discover its prey and pounce 
>n it f,. on , a height at which it is itself, with its 
u.^nded wines, scarcely visible to the human eye. 
V h( ‘u lookine for its prey, it sails in large circles, 
v 11 ' its tail spread out, but with little motion of its 
"fgs ; and it often soars aloft in a spiral manner, its 
Rations becomiim- gradually less and less perceptible, 
2)1 it dwindles to a mere speck, and is at length 
1,1 ? r «ly lost to the view. A story is current, on the 
as of the Saskatchewan, of a half-breed Indian, who 
vaunting his prowess before a band of his country- 
and wishing 1 to impress them with a belief of his 
in 'natural powers. In the midst of his harangue 
^ "Sgle was observed suspended as it were in the air, 
L^etly ovcr bis head, upon which, pointing aloft with 
J* dagger which glistened brightly in the sun, he 
on the royal bird to come down. To his own 
I, ^“irwut, no less than the consternation of the sur- 
i jbding Indians, the eagle seemed to obey the charm, 
Stoutly, shooting down with the velocity of an 
it impaled itself on the point of his weapon ! 
5 . FALCO LEUCOCEFBALUS . 
THE WHITE-HEADED EAGLE) OR. BALD EAGLE* 
AUDUBON, PLATE XXXI. MALE. 
the itelirrlitfiil history of this bird given by Wilson, 
