WHITE-HEADED OR BALD EAGLE. 
75 
this habitual daring purpose, he is seen perching upon the 
naked limb of some lofty tree which commands an ex- 
tensive view of the ocean ; in this attitude of expecta- 
tion he heedlessly surveys the active employment of the 
feathered throng, which course along the wavy strand, or 
explore the watery deep with beating wing, until from 
afar he attentively scans the motions of his provider, the 
ample-winged and hovering Osprey. At length, the 
watery prey is espied, and the feathered fisher descends, 
like a falling rock ; cleaving the wave, he now bears 
his struggling victim from the deep, and mounting in the 
air, utters an exulting scream. At this signal, the Eagle 
pirate gives chase to the fortunate fisher, and soaring 
above him, by threatening attitudes obliges him to 
relinquish his prey ; the Eagle now poising for a 
surer aim, descends like an arrow, and snatching his 
booty before it arrives at the water, retires to the 
woods to consume it at leisured These perpetual depre- 
dations on the industrious Osprey sometimes arouse him 
to seek for vengeance, and several occasionally unite to 
banish their tyrannical invader. When greatly pressed 
by hunger, the Bald Eagle has sometimes been observed 
to attack the Vulture in the air, obliging him to disgorge 
the carrion in his craw, which he snatches up before it 
reaches the ground. He is sometimes seen also to drive 
away the Vultures, and feed voraciously on their car- 
rion. Besides fish, he preys upon Ducks, Geese, Gulls, 
and other sea-fowl, and when the resources of the ocean 
diminish, or fail from any cause, particularly on the 
southern migration of the Osprey, his inland depreda- 
tions are soon notorious, young lambs, pigs, fawns, and 
even deer often becomnig his prey. So indiscriminate in- 
deed is the fierce appetite of this bold bird, that instan- 
ces are credibly related of their carrying away infants. 
