bird when in perfect repose emits a series of sounds resembling considerably those produced by musical glasses under the finger-it is strange to find this trait in the harsh family of Raptorese-but it is not the less consistent with the unity in apparent discord prevailing throughout Nature. These savage despots of the air have all a harmony of their own!

Aye, in his solitary wandering the Artist makes the discovery, that in the fitness of things the Eagle even may be considered a musical bird. His estimate of harmonious sounds is comparative by necessity. When standing beside Niagara, or when amidst savage mountains he scales the slippery rocks that tremble to the sullen thunder-bass of cataracts, leaping down dark-mouthed, jagged-gorges; then if he hear the Eagle shout its shrill war-cry from out the spray-mist, doth his heart leap up within him, for here those dissonant notes best harmonize the dissonance!

Here, too, one glimpse of its warrior form as it comes forth suddenly to view on steadied wings, cutting the span of the perpetual iris in one imperial gleaming sweep of arrowy flight, the Artist sees to be worth a life full of common sights!-that the Old Mother has no grand show beyond this one! The creature seems the embodied spirit of the place -a winged desolation, born amidst the angry roar of mighty forces, to spring forth glorious in fierce beauty from the mists of their collision.

Of the stern wildness of all pathless solitudes the Eagle is a part, and the Artist knows that in painting such scenes his highest and noblest effects are produced by its presence. Hence, apart from the necessity he has found for studying it as the antitype of grandeur in humanity, he must do so as the most perfect consummation of the wild sublime in landscape-in the moods, humors and conditions presented by his mother.

Now, therefore, has he at length learned of her to look upon the Eagle, not as the mere object of a technical curiosity, as an ornithological specimen, to be measured, skinned,

stuffed and classified, but dead or alive, as the subject of profoundest and unwearying study, illustrating the most majestic themes and capabilities of Art.

Of necessity he is a naturalist likewise, and whether he be a technical commentator, he has been an accurate observer; for nothing is too minute to escape the microscopic vision of the true Artist.

To him each feather has both its separate form and its blended expression; each claw, beak, hair and scale, its own identity! The distinctions of sex and age he recognizes by a glance at plumage and size. Every note, posture and action, conveys to him a meaning-is significant of passion or purpose. All that can be known of habits and haunts, he makes familiar to himself in his lonely explorations

Thus it is when he comes to paint these creatures, that he is enabled to make his pictures historical-to illuminate his figures with the heated light of life-to give its sparkle to their joy, its glow to their repose, and darkened glare to their anger. The same fine intuitions of "effect" which guide him in grouping demi-god and hero, are exercised upon these pictures--with the same unerring tact he selects time, occasion, place, that the passion, incident and scene most characteristic may be exhibited at a glance-telling the story in full. The accessories of landscape are taken from its known and favorite haunts, including the grasses, shrubs or trees it most affects, for food or nidification-the incident-perhaps battle with a natural enemy, or seizure of its prey-is just that which displays its finest traits of action, and in which varied views of form and plumage can be afforded--while the distinctions of size and markings which grow out of sex and age, are furnished in the grouping.

The magical work is done! The unregarded denizens of unhoused wilds are seen all at once to be sharers with proud humanity of its passions, sentiments and even humors, and to express these in action far more free and noble for its simplicity! Then man is not alone upon the earth to think, to