Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-21
SECOND UNION
MEETING HELD
Scout Hagar Reads Interesting
Paper on Bald Eagle
at Troop Meet


Another union meeting was held
between Troop Eighteen and Troop
Thirteen last Friday evening at the
Boyd Memorial building. The meet
ing was the same as usual, but the
most interesting talks of the evening
was that given by Scout Joseph
Hagar and another by Professor
Hamaker, of the Technical High
School. Mr.. Hamaker spoke about
the Telegraph Key and It's Use"
The scouts were very interested in
what Mr.. Hamaker had to say and
many questions were asked. Indeed
the talk was of that kind that is not
usually heard, and it was appreciated
by the two troops. After the meet
ing the troops enjoyed some scout
games on the gym floor and q very
fine time was had. First aid was on
the program and the two first-aid
teams competed with each other,
and it all was too soon when the time
flew and it was time to beat it for
home. On the program of Troop
Thirteen's regular weekly meeting is
talk given by various boys of the
troop, and in this way every boy is
given a chance to help make the
meetings more interesting than en-
joyed by some troops. Upon the
suggestion of the honorary commit
tee every patrol takes q week in
which something is done by that re-
spective patrol and the talk arranged
by the Eagle patrol for last week
was as follows:
Tho Whtc-headed or Bald Eagle
This noble bird being the adopted
emblem of our beloved republic, it is
first introduced to the kind reader,
and he is indeed fully entitled to a
particular notice, as he is the most
beautiful of his tribe in North
America. ,
The bald eagle has long been
known to naturalists, being common
to both continents, and has occa-
sionally been found in very high
northern ATTITUDES, as we'll as near
the borders of the torrid zone, chiefly
in the vicinity of the sea or on the
shores and cliffs of lakes and large
rivers. His food consists chiefly of
fish, of which he seems to be very
fond. but he will not refuse. when
driven by hunger, to regale himself
on lamb or young pig; he will even,
"in hard times" snatch from Vul-
ture the carrion on which he is feed
ing.
The ardor and energy of the bald
eagle might awaken a full share OIL
deep interest, were they not asso-
ciated with so much robbery and
wanton exercise of power, for he
habitually despoils the osprey or
fish-hawk of his prey. OF the singu-
lar manner in which he does this
Alexander Wilson, in his work on
North American birds, says:
Elevated on a high dead limb of
some gigantic tree, that commands
wide view of the neighboring shore
and ocean, he seems calmly to con-
template the motions of the various
feathered tribes that pursue their
busy avocations below-the snow
white gulls, slowly winnowing the
air; the busy tringea (sandpipers)
coursing along the sands; trains or
ducks, streaming over the surface,
silent and watchful cranes, intent
and wading; clamorous crows, and
all the winged multitudes that sub
sist by the bounty of this vast maga-
zine of nature. High over all these
hovers one whose action instantly
arrests his whole attention. BY his
wide curvature of wing and sudden
suspension in the air, he knows him
to be the fish-hawk, settling over
some devoted victim of the deep: His
eve kindles at the sight, and balanc-
ing himself with half-opened wings
on the branch, he watches the re-
suit. Down, rapid as an arrow from
heaven, descends the distant object
of his attention, the roar of his
wings reaching the ear, as it disap-
peared in the deep, making the
surges foam around. At this mo-
ment, the eager looks of the eagle
are all ardor, and leveling his neck
for flight, he sees the fish-hawk once
more emerge struggling with his
prey and mounting in the air with
screams of eXultation. These are
the signals for our hero, who,
launching into the air, instantly
gives chase, and soon gains on the
fish-hawk; each exerts his utmost
to mount above the other, display
ing in these encounters the most ele-
CANT and sublime aerial evolutions.
The unencumbered eagle rapidly ad-
vances, and is just at the point of
reaching his opponent, when, with a
sudden scream, probably of despair
and honest execration, the latter
drops his fish; the eagle, posing him
self for O moment, as IL to take
more certain aim, descends like a
whirlwind, snatches 1t in his grasp
ere 1t reaches the water, and bears
his ill-gotten booty silently to the
woods" ,s
DIR. Franklin is rather severe on
his emblem of our National Union.
He says:
The falls of Niagara are one of his
fayorite haunts, on account or the
fish caught there, and the attraction
presented by the numerous remains
of SQUIRRELS, deer and other animals,
which perish in attempting to cross
the river above the cataract.
The nest of this species is general
ly fixed on q very large and lofty
tree. often in swamp or morass, and
difflcult to ascend. 1t is formed of
large sticks, sods, earthly rubbish,
hay. cornstalks, brushes, moss and
40 forth, and contains, in due time,
two eggs of about the size of goose
egg. and of a blush white color. The
votlng are first covered with q whit
ish or cream -colored down and have
light blush eyes. This cream color
changes gradually into blush gray;
as the development of the feather
advances, the light blue eyes turn by
degrees to dark hazel brown; when
full grown, they are covered wholly
with lighter or darker brown feath-
ers. until after the third year when
the white of the head and tail grad
ually appears; ct the end OF the
fourth year he is perfect, his eyes
having changed to a bright straw
color.
The bald eagle Is three feet long,
noaosures from tin to tin of the