The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-23

The great American bald eagle v an
illustration OF the truth that fine feathers
do not make fine birds. For, sad to re-
late, the original Of Our national emblem
Is soavenger, a coward and q thief Fish
Is his principal diet, and as no can catch
them under only the most favorable CIR
oumstances he picks up those that have
been washed ashore or he robs his feathered
neiShbon. His lack OF courage u seen
when one attempts to modest his nest.
Almost 40 soon a. the intruder begins to
ascend tho treo or olin the male eagle sails
OF into space, leaving his wife to protect
her offspring. Even she does not show
90 much bravery a. the average ANAL
bird.
Although the bald eagle viii capture and
eat poultry. game birds, small mammals
and tho young OF sheep and goats, he will
live on fish entirely when fish are to be
had.
Taking q place In dead tree trunk high
above the water. the eagle watches the
valley until he sees q fish hawk or osprey
capture . fsh. Then, waiting until It has
mounted In tho air. he sallies forth. He v
strong hier, and the fish hawk, burdened
by Its load, Is soon overtaken. Then begins
battle In midalr. Battle though 1t may
seem to be, the real object Of the eagle Is
merely to brighten the fish hawk 30 that 1t
will drop Its prey. which 1t quickly does,
realizing that In order to protect itself 1t
must have the free use Of it's claws. The
instant the fish is released the robber scoops
down and catches 1t in midair, then bears
1t OF to his perch. ....,
Speaking generally. the bald eagle is
found over the entire northern hemisphere.
It is very common in Florida and the adj
jaoent large islands, but 1t is most abundant
along the coast and about the mouths Of the
rivers OF southern Alaska. Attracted in the
summer by the salmon that swarm from
the ocean into shallow fresh water streams.
the eagles gather In great numbers and fish,
snatohing fish from the water as they houn-
der over the shallow rifles.
It Is not unusual to see twenty-five or
fifty eagles perched on the rocks or tree
trunks about the mouth OF one OF these
Alaska streams, and as they are seldom
shot by hunters they become very tame,
permitting one to approach within fifty or
hundred feet OF them. On the way from
Juneau to Admiralty Island, while entering
narrow pass between two islands, /
counted thirty-four eagles at one time.
One noticeable thing was that there were
few immature birds among them, nearly
all having the white head and tall which
do not appear until after the birds are
three years old.
Raising blue foxes is one Of the indus
tries in the parts Of Alaska where eagles
are common, and here they are in
furious to man. The foxes are bred on
islands situated so for from the mainland
that there Is no chance of their escaping.
During the spring. when the young foxes
are about one-third or half grown, the
eagles capture many Of them, 10 many, in
fact, that the fox raising companies offer a
bounty Of 80 cents for the hend Of every
eagle killed In that vicinity.
Now and then the eagle will attempt
to rob the human hunter Of his prey. Many
q man has had wounded and dead water
fowl snatched from beneath his very eyes
during the few minutes he had left his gun
In the blind while he went out in the boat to
gather up bis game.
One fall while hunting golden eye ducks
| on the Susquehanna River at Owego, N. y,
| I had an experience OF this kind. After
| q Ions, arduous stalk, I arrived within shoot
ing distance Of the game killed one duck
| and wounded another. These ducks are
very expert divers and when wounded