LESSON 52 The white-headed eagle

第五十二课 白头鹰

The white-headed or bald eagle takes the foremost place among the feathered tribes of America,

白头鹰或是秃鹰在美国的羽毛部落中占有着最重要的位置，

both because he stands first in natural order, and because he has been selected by the people of the United States as a type of their nation.

因为它不仅站在自然秩序的顶端，而且它还是美国人选出来的国家标志。

Their choice was, by-the-by, objected to by Benjamin Franklin, on the plea "that he is a bird of bad moral character, and does not get his living honestly."

顺便提一下，他们的选择受到了本杰明·富兰克林的反对，他抗议“这种鸟品质恶劣，而且活得不诚实。”

There was justice in the remark; for the bald eagle is a determined robber, and a perfect tyrant.

这里有一段公正的评论；白头鹰是意志坚定的强盗和完美的暴君。

He is, however, a magnificent bird. His wings, when expanded, measure nearly eight feet from tip to tip.

然而，它是一种有着华丽外表的鸟。当它的羽翼展开时，两端的长度有差不多八尺宽。

His body is three and a half feet in length. His snow-white head,

其体形有三英尺半那么长，头是白色的，

from which he takes his name, shines in the sun. He has a large hooked yellow beak, with which he tears his prey.

这是它名字的由来，它的头在太阳下发着光。它有着巨大的黄色鹰钩，用来撕裂猎物。

The bald eagle preys chiefly on fish, but sometimes also on sea-fowl and other animals.

秃鹰的主要猎物是鱼，但有时也会捕食海鸟和其他的动物。

He may often be seen darting down upon fish as they swim near the surface of the water.

它可能经常在看到鱼儿靠近水面时，飞快地俯冲下去。