32 



THE BOOTED EAGLE. 



own for many years to come. The young cannot be taken, nor tne eggs destroyed, as the bird 

 always builds its nest on the summit of some lofty tree, which is inaccessible to any human 

 being except the native Australian. These trees often rise for a hundred feet without a branch, 

 thus presenting an insurmountable obstacle to the efforts of any white man. 



It will not disdain to feed upon carrion, a flock of thirty or forty having been observed by 

 Mr. Gould seated round the carcass of an ox, and gorged with food like so many vultures. 

 Like the vultures, it will follow the white kangaroo hunters day after day, in order to avail 

 itself of the offal which they throw aside. Of the black hunters it takes no heed, knowing well 

 that the black man has no idea of leaving any portion whatever of his prey for any creature 

 except himself, and that if any part of the slain animal should be distasteful to his palate it is 

 handed over to his wives, who wait round him at a respectful distance, receiving humbly any 

 morsels that he may be pleased to throw to them. 



BOOTED EAGLE. (A/pitta pennata.) 



A rather amusing account of the discomfiture of a pair of these Eagles is given by 

 Captain Flinders in his "Voyage to Terra Australis." In company with a friend, he had 

 landed on an uninhabited island, and had captured a snake, which he was taking to the ship 

 for the benefit of the naturalist. While so engaged, an Eagle "with fierce aspect and out- 

 spread wing came bounding towards us, but stopping short at twenty yards off, he flew up into 

 a tree. Another bird of the same kind discovered himself by making a motion to pounce down 

 upon us as we passed underneath ; and it seemed evident they took us for kangaroos, having 

 probably never before seen an upright animal of any other species in the island. These birds 

 sit watching in the trees, and should a kangaroo come out to feed in the daytime, it is seized 

 and torn to pieces by these voracious creatures." 



