90 
WHITE-HEADED, OR BALD EAGLE. 
one of the largest and most perfect specimens I have yet met 
with. In the back ground is seen a distant view of the celebrated 
Cataract of Niagara, a noted place of resort for these birds, 
have not attained their pure whiteness, being still marked with some patches of 
brown ; but I have found this to be invariably the case with birds in confinement, 
from three to five years being then required to complete their perfect change,* 
whereas three years is the generally supposed time in a wild state. Fish is 
preferred to any other food by both, but nothing appears to come amiss to 
them. 
Savigny established his genus for this form, or for the large bare-legged 
Fishing Eagles. They are not so powerfully formed, or so much adapted for 
rapid flight as the Falcons and Eagles. The tarsi are weaker — the tail more 
graduated — the whole form more inelegant ; and when at rest, the secondaries 
hang in a drooping and sluggish manner over their wings ; their habits, unless 
when in search of prey, or in the breeding season, much less daring and active. 
Such may be said to be the general characters of the group ; our present 
species, however, seems to have a disposition more akin to the very fiercest : 
we have seen him to be very savage in his cage ; in his native wilds he seems 
little less so. Fish is the favourite food, though they do not seem able to 
take them by plunging, but content themselves with either seizing from the 
Ospreys what they have caught, or, where the water is so shallow as to allow 
them, clutch the fish without diving. Audubon says it only now and 
then procures fish for itself. He has seen them several times attempting to 
take red-fins by wading briskly through the water, and striking at them with 
their bill. When fish are not to be had, they appear hardly contented with 
the smaller animals or birds ; pigs and sheep are a common fare, and our 
author has even mentioned one instance of a child being attacked. The 
male and female hunt in concert, and it must be when attacking some large- 
winged game, or water-fowl which have had recourse to the lake or river for 
safety, that their energies will be best observed. Audubon thus describes a 
Swan hunt : — 
“ The next moment, however, the wild trumpet-like sound of a yet distant 
but approaching Swan is heard : a shriek from the female Eagle comes across 
the stream ; for she is fully as alert as her mate. The snow-white bird is 
now in sight : her long neck is stretched forward ; her eye is on the watch> 
vigilant as that of her enemy ; her large wings seem with difficulty to support 
the weight of her body, although they flap incessantly. So irksome do her 
exertions seem, that her very legs are spread beneath her tail, to aid her in her 
flight. She approaches; the Eagle has marked her for his prey. As the 
* Mr Audubon mentions having known it six, and says in a wild state they breed the 
second year in full plumage. 
