San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-01-09
OUTWlTTED SY A TEAL.
A Wounded Duck Proves Too Much for
Three Lar~e Eagles.

A Memphis sportsman told the following
interesting story to a reporter of The Appeal:
From my blind in the willows heard the
whiz of ducks wings to my left. l turned
hastily, and at the same time threw my gun
to ready. 1t was cross-fyer "green-
winged" teal, going like he was sent for the
doctor. fired Immediately and "wing-
tipped" him. The speed with which he was
going landed him far beyond the reach of
my second barrel AS soon as he struck the
water he began to swim towarI the middle
of the lake In less than two minutes
heard the scream of an eagle Turning. my
eyes toward the sound | saw, at great alti-
tude above the timber, an immense bald
eagle.
Now you'll see fun" remarked the native
with me; ''but he'll never catch him." he con-
cluded as he took an extra pull on his strong
old pipe.
By this time the eagle had begun to circle
over the wounded duck. Nearer and nearer
he drew toward the scared bird as he dimn-
ished the circle at.every flight.
The duck, with his sharp eyes fixed on the
eagle, swan round and round, just as his ad-
versary few When about fifty yards above
his prey the great bird uttered a scream, as
if to put the terrified duck on his guard, and
made a DART with his talons outstretched,
directly at HIM. On came the eagle with the
speed of an arrow, and expected to see the
wounded duck borne away by the king of
birds" without any chance for his life what
ever
"See him diver cried the native, as the
duck went out of sight beneath the placid
waters The eagle, realizing the fact that he
had missed his prey, Shot upward in the air
to make another onslaught. As he did SO he
again uttered a scream.
Oar, man; he has yelled for his mate. an
de two of 'em will do up dat little duck if he
don't git out of dat open water and hide in de
grass" remarked the negro paddler
Scarcely had the sound of the eagles call
died away when | saw its mate flying
swiftly toward the battle ground. imagined
| could see feathers on the wounded duck rise
as these two immense birds circled above it.
After preliminary understanding between
them eagle No. made another dive at the
duck, while eagle No. 2 circled close enough
to the water to catch the duck as soon as it
showed its head after its first dive from No
|. saw the play and watched the fight for
life Of the little duck with intense interest,
and wished that they would pass near enough
TO me to be placed passe de combat by load
from my gun.
Look lookI he maxim for de cover"
cried the negro, as the duck showed itself
fully 100 yards nearer TIE grass. Down went
eagle No , and down went the duck under
the water as | scored the fifth clean miss for
the hungry birds.
As the maddened eagle rose to give its
mate another chance it also uttered a pierre
ing scream, which, as if by magic, brought
forth another one of its kind
Oar, now, if dem fire great big birds amt
'gwinS TO fight dat one little duck, den I'm
sinner" again spoke the negro And so they
did, taking turn about as before, but with
no better success, as every dive the duck
would make brought him closer to the grass
Once under cover, they gave up the fight
and the wounded bird was spared until the
shades of night when he would have to do
battle for his life with cOons, mink and
other prowling varmints that nightly patrol
the marsh and feeding grounds by which
Wspanoce lake is surrounded. So intent
was | on watching the fight that l missed
several good shots while the battle went on
and ended my days sport q few minutes
later by stepping OFF my blind into the lake
or course | Immediately returned to the
club house for repairs and q little bracing
up.-Memphis Appeal.