The Dolores star., 1924-02-29

like n whirlwind, snatches 1t in his grasp ere II
reaches the water and bears his ill-gotten booty
silently to the woods"
The sportsman is the gentleman of out-of- doors
He believes in giving the wild game fair chance
always and everywhere. He will not shoot Il birC
except it is in the air. He angles with light tackle
He will not chase down deer with automobile
TO get n shot. He never kills more than he can
use. To him the game-hog and the market hunter
anathema.
So the sportsman cannot understand how the
people of Alaska could be INDUCED in any. circum
stances to slaughter 25,OOO American eagles
Twenty-Five thousand dead American eagles
why at an average wing spread of seven feet
that Is more than 33 miles of dead eagles! That
is the cutting short OF 25O,OOO years at the least
of bird lfe-for the American eagle does not
assume his head and tail of snowy white until ten
years Of age and his natural span of life Is more
than the four score years and ten Of man. Says
n sportsman:
believe there Is no more bloodthirsty creature
on earth than a boy turned loose with his shot
gun was so turned loose in the wilds of Michi
gan. Certainly l knew not the first principles OF
sportsmanship Pigeons-now extinct. then as thick
as the leayes-were killed by me on limbs of trees
Ducks were shot by the water. The par
fridge on a log was fair game to me.
But day this bloodthirsty creature came to
the edge of clearing and American eagle
sitting a dead tree watching him. The instant
their glances met the great bird shot Into the
air and began to soar upward in spiraling circles
And the boy hunter. though within easy shot. took
on MS nat and cheered the living emblem of his
country.
The American eagle is an impressive creature
Old Baldys body Is more than three feet long and
weighs about u pounds. His spread of wing is
from Z to feet-more than the height of the
tallest man! The bald eagle is called because
of his head and neck of snowy white His tail
and the upper tail coverts also snowy white
The rest of him is a deep chocolate brown Inclln
ing to black on his back.
And consider these thinpS ohout Ola RoIdv. JIo
often lives to be one hundred years of age. He
mates for life. He builds his nest on a lofty tree
that stands out from Its lesser fellows like II SEN
tinel. That nest Is home to him. Year after year
he adds to 1t for the mating time till it grows to
be n landmark. His mate lays but two eggs. He
and his mate affectonate parents, tending the
eagets until they can for themselves In
time Of danger they fight like winged demons for
their young and for their nest, many daring
Indian, bent on getting feather or u good-luck
"eagle-stOne," has found to his cost II was n
proud Indian who eagles feather
The bald eagle Is unawed even by man. OF the
man with the gun the King of the Air has learned
to be wary-but man he will fight to his last
breath. when the fight is carried to him. Boosting
of his kill. a bounty hunter said:
was a great shot had at this old eagle
perched on the top of tall spruce. l Crew a nne
bead and pressed the trigger. He launched into
the air and started to sail away but toppled over
dripping from his beak. He was too gone TO
stand but he threw himself his back. with hi.
talons stretched up dehantly. He struck at me
quivered and the hm of death pas over his eyes
The American eagle, superior to cold and storm
of miraculous powers Of flight, equal to any enrth.
ly power save that Of man, is symbol Of courage
the emblem Of American freedom.