Dear Boys and Girls:
I had hoped to show you the picture of the eagle that went through the
war with the soldiers. They called him "Old Abe." You will find on page
35 a long story written about him. Ask some one to read it to you.
I could not get "Old Abe," or you should now be looking at his picture.
He is at present in Wisconsin, and his owner would not allow him to be
taken from home.
I did the next best thing, and found one that was very much like him.
They are as near alike as two children of a family. Old Abe's feathers
are not quite so smooth, though. Do you wonder, after having been
through the war? He is a veteran, isn't he?
The picture is that of a Bald-headed Eagle. He is known, also, by other
names, such as White-headed Eagle, Bird of Washington, Sea Eagle.
You can easily see by the picture that he is not bald-headed. The name
White-headed would seem a better name. It is because at a distance his
head and neck appear as though they were covered with a white skin.
He is called "Sea Eagle" because his food is mostly fish. He takes the
fish that are thrown upon the shores by the waves, and sometimes he robs
the Fish Hawk of his food.
This mighty bird usually places his large nest in some tall tree. He
uses sticks three to five feet long, large pieces of sod, weeds, moss,
and whatever he can find.
The nest is sometimes five or six feet through. Eagles use the same nest
for years, adding to it each year.
Young eagles are queer looking birds. When hatched, they are covered
with a soft down that looks like cotton.
Their parents feed them, and do not allow them to leave the nest until
they are old enough to fly. When they are old enough, the mother bird
pushes them out of the nest. She must be sure that they can fly, or she
would not dare do this. Don't you think so?
[Illustration: From col. Chi. Acad. Sciences.
AMERICAN BALD EAGLE.]