The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-01-31
Eagle VS.. Duck.

An exciting contest between an eagle
and a duck. with the life of the latter as
the tremendous stake, is described by a
writer in Forest and Stream. The
duck, a blue-bill, had been winged by
the writer. and dropped into the waters
of lake over which it was passing
As the sportsman was about to tire a
second time upon his wounded victim,
magnificent bald eagle rushed upon
the scene, and, with bold, swift de-
scent. aimed to capture the floating
bird. The duck was too quick for this
new enemy, and vanished like a flash
beneath the veil CO waters This was
the opening act in battle between the
two birds that was watched by the
writer with the deepest interest for an
hour and half 1t is usual, says the
narrator, for winged duck to pre-
serve itself from capture by the hunter
sitting in a boat, by diving, and, after
a considerable time, coming to view at
some distance from The spot whence it
misrepresentation rising in the rear
of the boat, under which it has passed
while at depth in the water
But, in the present case, the hunted
creature came to the surface every
time exactly at the point from which it
dove out of sight. Instinct seemed to
teach it that this was the one absolutely
safe spot. since the eagle must be car
ried by it in his rapid course, admitting
of no pause at the point where he
planned to seize his prey. mo sooner
had the eagle darted over the spot"
says the observer, ethan the duck
would reappear in almost the exact To-
cality. Nor was the sagacity displayed
by the eagle any the less interesting.
He adopted great variety of tactics
and methods, and pursued them with
unflaggiDg zeal. At times he would
place himself so near the surface that
his great, outstretched wings would al
most dip the water, and, moving slow
". noiselessly along, precisely like a
cat. would try to steal upon his prey.
When he thought he had approached
as near as he could in this way, he
would dart like fish, with his great
claws distended to seize his victim.
Then, again, he would place himself in
the zenith of the duck, and fall, rather
than dart, but still with astonishing
celebrity. Sometimes he would fly list
lessly about, as if he had given up the
chase, and as much as to say he did not
care much for duck anyhow. Then
suddenly from this listless mood he
would bound with electric rapidity.
Then he would make succession of
darts, one following the other with the
greatest celebrity, wheeling and bound
ing as if he would not allow his duck
ship q moment to recover breath, and
SO tire him out. After something over
an hour of this maneuvering he seemed
to tire of the contest, and. perching
himself upon neighboring tree, sat
perfectly motionless. Surprising he
had given up in despair, we resumed
our sport. But scarcely had we begun,
when the same swhir' filed our ears
as at the first, and the contest was re-
newed with ten fold vigor. He used
less strategy now, but more bulldog
pertinacity. He seemed to have deter
mined to fight it out ON that line if it
took all summer
The duck had grown bold by the sue
cess of its defensive strategy, and now
became actually reckless. waiting until
the eagle had his claws nearly upon it
before diving out Of sight. At last, it
waited just one instant too long; the
eagle struck his sharp talons into its
back. and bore it of in triumph.