368 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



(c). Size has always a fascination for the worhl. The young 

 collector prizes a hawic's egg more than that of the rarest 

 warbler. Tiie egg is big, the bird that laid it is big, the nest 

 in which it was laid is big, the tree in which the nest was built 

 is big, and the wood in which the tree grows is big. In much 

 the same spirit, the world has called the eagle and lion king 

 respectivel}' of birds and beasts, on account of their large size 

 and carnivorous tastes. But modern writers have assured us 

 that the lion is not a hero, that he is even a coward, that he 

 does not deserve his title, which might better be bestowed 

 upon the Rojal Bengal Tiger. The eagle, however, though 

 inferior in activity, speed, and spirit, to the little Sparrow 

 Hawk, better merits the distinction, from the majestj' of his 

 appearance and the sublimity of his flight. But he cannot 

 justly be considered supeiior to all other birds, since he is 

 merely a large " hen hawk," who does not hesitate in many 

 cases to feed on carrion or on the spoils which he robs from 

 more industrious laborers than himself. 



The Golden P^agles are extremelj' rare in Massachusetts, and 

 are probably to be ranked as merely accidental winter-visitors. 

 They are resident in mountainous and thinly populated districts 

 of northern and possibly' western New England. Mr. Brewster 

 says that " a pair have bred for years on the cliff directly over 

 the Piofile House. They could be seen at almost an}' hour of 

 the day scaling about their eyrie, uttering loud screams, but 

 were especially noisy and active from sunset to dark." 



The Golden Eagles are so averse to the encroachments of 

 man, that I can find no mention of their being common in any 

 much inhabited district, but the immense tracts of forest, and 

 the high mountain-ranges, in their usual haunts, enable them to 

 live remote from civilization, I have occasionally seen them 

 among the Wliite Mountains. Tliey may sometimes be ob- 

 served sailing at a vast height in witle circles, but with no per- 

 ceptible effort. I have watched them for hours, but only once 

 have I seen them plunge. One, who had been sailing for a 

 long while at the elevation of several hundred feet, suddenly 

 closed his wings and dropped with astounding velocity, which 



