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I-fowls on whistling wings from the countries of the north, to seek a milder climate in which to sojourn for a season.
The eagle is seen perched on the highest branch of the tallest tree by the margin of the broad stream. His glistening but pitiless eye looks over water and land,and sees objects afar off. He listens to every sound tha tcomes to his quick ear, glancing now and then to the earth beneath, lest the light tread of the rabbit may pass unheard.
His mate is perched on the other side of the river, and now and then warns him by a cry to continue patient. At this well—they are for the time beneath his attention.
The next moment, however, the wild, trumpetflight. A shriek from his mate comes across the stream,for she is fully as watchful as he.
The snow-white bird is now in sight; her long neck is stretched forward; her eyes are as watchful as those of her enemy; her large wings seem with difficulty to support the weight of her body. Nearer and nearer she comes. The eagle has marked her for his prey.
As the swan is about to pass the dreaded pair, the eagle starts from his perch with an awful scream. Heglides through the air like a falling star, and, like a flashof lightning, darts upon the timid bird, which now, in agony and despair, seeks to escape the grasp of his cruel talons. She would plunge into the stream did not the eagle force her to remain in the air by striking at her from beneath.
The hope of escape is soon given up by the swan. She has already become much weakened. She is about to gasp her last breath when the eagle strikes with his talons the under side of her wing, and forces the dying bird to fall in a slanting direction upon the nearest shore.
Then it is that you may see the cruel spirit of this dreaded enemy of the feathered race. He presses down his strong feet, and drives his claws deeper and deeper into the heart of the swan. He screams with delight as he watches the last feeble struggles of his prey.
The eagle’s mate has watched every movement that he has made; and, if she did not assist him in capturing the swan, it was because she felt sure that hispower and courage were quite sufficient for the deedShe now sails up to the spot where he is waiting for her, and both together turn the breast of the luckless swan upward and gorge themselves with gore.
— J. J. AUDUBON