THE WHITE-HEADED EAGLE. 
273 
ground, it closes its wings, and glides through the air 
with such rapidity as to cause a loud rustling sound, 
not unlike that produced by a violent gust of wind 
passing amongst the branches of trees. Its fall towards 
the earth can scarcely he followed by the eye on such 
occasions, the more particularly, that these falls, or 
glidings through the air, usually take place when they 
are least expected. 
“This bird has the power of raising from the surface 
of the water any floating object not heavier than itself. 
In this manner it often robs the sportsman of ducks 
which have been killed by him. Its audacity is quite 
remarkable. While descending the Upper Mississippi, 
I observed one of these eagles in pursuit of a green- 
winged teal. It came so near our boat, although 
several persons were looking on, that I could perceive 
the glancings of its eye. The teal, on the point of being 
caught, when not more than fifteen or twenty yards 
from us, w^as saved from the grasp of its enemy, one of 
our party having brought the latter down by a shot, 
which broke one of its w ings. When taken on board, 
it w^as fastened to the deck of our boat by means of a 
string, and was fed with pieces of cat-fish, some of which 
it began to eat on the third day of its confinement. 
But, as it became a very disagreeable and dangerous 
associate, trying on all occasions to strike at some one 
with its talons, it was killed and thrown overboard. 
“ When these birds are suddenly and unexpectedly 
approached or surprised, they exhibit a great degree of 
cowardice. They rise at once, and fly off very low, in 
zigzag lines, to some distance, uttering a hissing noise, 
not at all like their usual disagreeable imitation of a 
laugh. When not carrying a gun, one may easily 
approach them ; but the use of that instrument being 
to appearance well known to them, they are very 
cautious in allowing a person having one to get near 
them. Notwithstanding all their caution, however, 
many are shot by approaching them under cover of a 
tree, on horseback, or in a boat. They do not possess 
the power of smelling gunpowder, as the crow and the 
VOL. xv. s 
