clxxv 
FALCONiDiE. BIRDS. FALCONiDa:. 
wliat was thought to be a separate species.” — Audu- 
bon. AVilsoii adopted the name Eing-tailed Kiigle 
for this species, not having the flood of experience 
whicli has come since his day. He says: “'I’his 
noble bird, in strength, spirit and activity, raidis 
among the first of its tribe. I leave once or twice 
observed it sailing along the Alpine declivities of the 
White Mountains of New Hampshire, early in Octo- 
ber, and again over the highlands of the Hudson, 
not far from West Point. Its flight was easy, in 
high, circuitous sweeps, its broad tail expanded like 
a fan.” This Eagle measures nearly three feet in 
length, lias an expanse of nine feet; and Mr. Ridg- 
way found it common in the Oreat Basin, along the 
line of the fortieth parallel, where it is called the 
Mountain Eagle. 'I'he Eagle is supposed to be a 
very long-lived bird, extending its existence even to 
a century or more. In captivity it is known, at 
\''ienna, to have lived over a hundred years. 
GRAY SEA EAGLE {Haliaetus alhiciU(i).—0^ this 
genus about nine species are known, of which two 
are North American, one being peculiar to this con- 
tinent — the H. leucocephalus, emblem of our Federal 
Union. 'I'he habits of the Sea Eagles differ essen- 
tially from those of the true Eagles (Acpiila). They 
frequent the shores of the sea, lakes or large rivers, 
instead of mountainous portions, and feed chiefly — 
some of the species entirely — on fish, some resem- 
bling the Fish Hawks in their habits. 'I’he habitat 
of this species is in Europe and G-reenland. It fre- 
quents that part of the country adjacent to the sea. 
rearing its young on the rocky cliffs. It has not 
been found on our continent out of Greenland. It is 
a fierce and determined bird, and fights with great 
power when attacked. It does not return year after 
year, like others, to its breeding-places. The head is 
covered with long, drooping feathers, each feather 
being ashy-brown and darker in 'its centre than at 
its edges. 'I'he rest of the body is dark brown, with 
here and there a lighter spot or streak, the primaries 
being nearly black. 'I’he tail is rounded, and of a 
pure white color in the adult Eagle and brown in the 
immature bird. 'I’he legs, toes, beak and cere are 
yellow and the claws black. 
BALD EAGLE {Hdliaetiis lemoeephalus ) — Plate V, 
fig. viii. — -This is the American Eagle, so-called. Au- 
dubon says of it : “ 'I’he figure of this noble bird is 
well known throughout the civilized world, embla- 
zoned as it is on our national standard, which waves 
in the breeze of every clime, bearing to distant lands 
the remembrance of a great people living in a state 
of peaceful freedom.” His great strength, joined to 
his unequalled powers of flight, render him highly 
conspicuous among his brethren. Franklin says : 
“ He is a bird of bad moral character ; he does not 
get his living honestly. You may have seen him 
perched on some dead tree, where, too lazy to fish 
for himself, he watches the labor of the Fish Hawk ; 
and when that diligent bird has at length taken a 
fish, and is bearing it to his nest, the Bald Eagle 
pursues and takes it from him. Besides, he i.s a rank 
coward. 'I’he little King-bird, not bigger than a 
Sparrow, attacks him boldly, and drives liim out of 
the district. He is, therefore, by no means a proper 
emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of Amer- 
ica, who have driven all the King-birds from our 
country.” Audubon describes and figures a bird 
which, he called the Washington Eagi.k (H. washing- 
toni). As no other specimen has been seen, and as 
the Bald Eagle is known to have a dark-bimwii plu- 
mage during its first years, like that which Audubon 
considered as characteristic of the Washington bird, 
it is now thought that his specimen was none other 
than a remarkably fine and large female of the jjres- 
ent species. 'I’he white head and tail only appear 
after several years of moulting. Wilson gives the 
following account: “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 l)y 
anything but man, and from the ethereal heights to 
which he soars looking abroad at one glance on an 
immeasurable 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 Ims 
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 
contemplate the motions of the various feathered 
tribes that pursue their busy avocations below. 
High over all these hovers one whose action in- 
stantly arrests his whole attention. By his wide 
curvature 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 its 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. 'I’hese are the signals 
for our hero, who, hiunching into the air, instantly 
gives chase, and soon gains on the Hawk. Each 
exerts his utmost to mount above the other, dis- 
playing in these rencontre the most elegant aei-inl 
evolutions. 'I’he unencumbered Eagle rapidly ad- 
vances, and is just on the point of reaching his 
opponent, when, with a sudden scream, the latter 
drops his fish. 'I’he 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 away to the woods.” Wilson records a,n in- 
stance which shows the great power and courage of 
this bird. An Eagle had robbed a Fish Hawk of a 
fish, when the latter made an attempt to regain his 
prey. 'I’he Eagle deliberately turned on his back, in 
