The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-11-14
THE BALD EAGLE.

n~~ stands.
 The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls: He watches from his mountain walls. And like thunderbolt he falls"
 Early last spring, a pair of bald eagles sat upon a huge dead tree near lake in the far West. Beneath them, where three great branches parted, g. dark mass of sticks marked the spot where for several years the birds had reared their young. The nest was not a new one, however; it represented the accumulated remains of several old nests, and apparently the eagles had come to consider the advisability of repairing it for another years service. At any rate, they soon flew away, and next morning they were busy bringing new material to the old nesting site. They brought, beside large sticks, turf, moss and dried plant stalks, and when the structure was done it measured five feet in height and six feet across top. For two or three days the female bird sat upon the newly-made nest, as though trying 1t, before she ventured to lay her two white eggs. One morning, while the eggs were still unhatched, man came down the lake in a canoe, and spying the large nest, put ashore to examine it. See- ing that it was occupied, he deter mined to rob it, and started to climb the tree. But he never reached the nest, for the parent birds, screaming fiercely, swooped at him in so menacing manner, that he decided to retreat. Perhaps it is well for him that he did not persist in the attempt, for the tal- ons of bald eagle, hurled with all the fury of savage bird having both speed and weight, might easily tear a man from his best hold upon tree, and fling, him disf1gured, to his death.
 So the eggs remained, and after hay ing been sat upon for about month, I am told, were matched. The young, which were covered with greyish down, now claimed the undivided attention of the parent birds. who foraged for them all day long. Often they made long jour- neys to river. where they sometimes found fish which had been washed up on to the shore, but what they appeared to like much better was to rob the fish, hawks. When ever one of the eagles saw hawk plunge into the water and arise with fish, the larger bird at once gave chase. Rising above the successful fisherman, the robber threat ened him so savagely that he let fall his hard-won prize in order to escape.
 As quick as thought the eagle changed his tactics, and was darting downward in the wake of the falling fish. Before it reached the water he was upon it and, snatching it up in his mighty talons, he bore it away to the old tree beside the lake to feed the clamoring eaglets.
 The latter grew rapidly, and in the course of some weeks they were ready to leave the nest, and scrambled off into the nearby woods, where their parents still supplied them with food.
 About this time, the man who had tried to rob the nest, and who had kept an eye on the birds ever since, landed once more on the shore of the lake, This time he had in his hand a steel trap, which he attached to long cord. Then he climbed tall dead stump near
 
 fish, on the top. Next morning, the male fish hawk, setting out for the river saw the bait and swooped down upon it. There was a. 'cliclx'' as the wicked jaws flew together, and the great bird arose in the air and endeavored to shake him. self free. But when he reached the full length of the cord he was brought up with a jerk, and after several furious flaps of his wings, he fell sprawling on the ground. All day and all night he lay with the steel jaws of the trap biting deeper into the flesh and with his foot swelling to twice the size 1t should have been. Again and again he attacked the trap savagely with his bill, but. for once he had found some thing on which that powerful hook made no impression. Then he tore away at the foot itself until it was raw, but still he was a prisoner.
 On the following day the man ap- peared, and was overjoyed to see the captive, which he rushed forward to seize. But he was too eager to be cau- tions, and he had scarcely touched the prostrate bird, when he uttered a we'll. for the eagle struck like lightning with his one free foot, and the good talons passed each other through the palm of his tormentor's hand. Luckily for the writhing wretch, he had left a conn., panion in the canoe, and this man. hearing the yells came running up and finally liberated the eagles captive, but not until the latter had received wounds which later almost causd the loss of his arm.
 The eagle was secured and carried off in the canoe, and his captors held an interesting discussion concerning the disposal of him. The one with whom | hn hcd 1eft -sc l