Bald Eagle 
221 
nor the most enterprising of birds, as one fain 
would believe. On the contrary, it often uses 
its wonderful eyesight to detect a bird more 
skilful than itself in the act of catching a fish, 
and then puts forth its superb strength to rob 
the successful fisher of his prey. The osprey 
is a frequent sufferer, although some of the 
water fowl, that patiently course over the waves 
hour after hour, in search of a dinner, may be 
robbed of it by the overpowering pirate. Dead 
fish cast up on the beach are not rejected. 
When fish fail, coots, ducks, geese and gulls — 
the fastest of flyers — are likely to be snatched 
up, plucked clean of their feathers, and torn 
apart by the great bird that drops suddenly 
upon them from the clouds like Jove’s thunder- 
bolt. Rarely small animals are seized, but 
there is probably no well-authenticated case of 
an eagle carrying off a child. 
It is in their family life that hawks and 
eagles, however cruel at other times, show some 
truly lovable traits. Once mated, they know 
neither divorce nor family quarrels all their lives. 
Home is the dearest spot on earth to them. 
They become passionately attached to the 
great bundle of trash that is at once their nest 
and their abode. A tall pine tree, near water, 
or the rocky ledge of some steep cliff, is the 
favourite site for an eagle eyrie. Here the de- 
voted mates will carry an immense quantity of 
