A MISTAKE MADE

Waipa Post, Volume 45, Issue 3253, 10 November 1932, Page 3

A MISTAKE MADE

EAGLE ON UNITED STATES COINAGE.

The bald or white-headed eagle chosen by the founders of the United States as the national emblem, has been cheated out of a place on the Washington memorial 25-cent piece just issued, according' to Science Service.

The bird that roosts on the reverse of the new coin has feathered " trousers " coming down to his feet, which marks him as a golden eagle. The golden eagle is a native of the Old World as well as of America, and is displayed on the coats of arms of several European nations. The bald eagle, a strictly American bird, has the " trousers" only in his juvenile state; when mature he is bare-legged. The bald eagle is correctly shown on all save one of the other United States coins where an eagle appears j at all. The other exception is the half dollar that came into use just before the World War, on which a "trousered " golden eagle is shown. On all the older coins, bearing a " displayed" eagle with a shield on its breast, the bird is unmistakably a bald eagle. At least one of the Fathers of the Republic would doubtless applaud the dethronement of the bald eagle if he were still living. Benjamin Franklin disapproved very strongly the choice of the bald eagle as the American emblem, stating that the bird was thievish as well las rapacious, and "generally lousy" to boot. In this opinion the great early American nat- ; uralist Audubon heartily concurred.