GOLDEN EAGLE 311 



chance had suffered to remain, but I was careful to identify all the species 

 represented. Varying hares (Lepus americanus) and marmots formed the bulk. 

 The latter were mainly the large hoary marmot {Marmota caligata) , but one 

 skull of the small relative of our eastern species (M. to. ochracea) was among 

 the lot. Part of the skin and skeleton of a marten (Maries americana) proved 

 somewhat of a surprise. These comprised the list of the mammals, the remains 

 of smaller ones, if there had been any, not being in evidence. Among the birds 

 whose relics had lodged in the structure was an adult goshawk, a genuine sur- 

 prise, and a number of blue grouse (Dendragapus o. richardsoni). The cliffs 

 on which the nest was placed held the homes of many bushy-tailed wood rats, 

 and there were signs that they had occupied at one time the lower parts of the 

 eagle's structure, but there was no evidence that any had been captured. 



In my ascent of the nest I inadvertently disturbed a healthy colony of yellow 

 jackets that had built their own home about halfway up the structure. For- 

 tunately for the success of my deliberations aloft I was then unaware of this 

 important circumstance ; but, when nearly halfway down, I was met by an 

 advance guard from the enraged colony. There was only one way out, and I 

 made the remainder of the descent in record time, glad to escape with a moderate 

 number of stings. 



This episode over, I turned my attention to the young bird, which still occupied 

 his perch on the verge of the broad ledge where I had first seen him. While I 

 was at the nest he had uttered at intervals a querulous rattling call, evidently 

 an appeal to his parents, one of which had been seen once or twice at a distance. 

 At my approach he regarded me with a reserved indifference. He was evidently 

 a male and fully grown, and his dark lustrous Juvenal plumage was in perfect 

 condition. Although I believed he had not yet flown, I concluded that he was 

 able to take off. Under my judicious but firm encouragement he launched into 

 the air, and after a few somewhat clumsy but effective attempts to master the 

 art of balancing he soared and flapped off down the valley, flnally perching 

 awkwardly on the summit of a spruce nearly half a mile below. On our way 

 out of the mountains about ten days later the eagles were still in tlie vicinity 

 of the aerie. 



There are many old tales of eagles carrying off young children, but 

 most of them are pure fabrications by sensational reporters. An eagle, 

 if pressed for food, might carry off a small baby that had been left in 

 the open unprotected, but such an opportunity must occur very rarely. 

 Stories of babies being found in eagles' nests, practically unharmed, 

 are purely imaginary, as eagles are well known to kill their prey at 

 once. Mr. Forbush (1927) has investigated a case, which seemed to 

 him authentic ; an eagle attacked a little girl, nine years old, and cut 

 and bruised her arm quite badly before it was beaten off. It is doubt- 

 ful if an eagle could lift anything heavier than a very small baby. 

 Mr. Cameron (1905) says: "Personally I have never known an eagle 

 to carry anything heavier than a seven pound jack-rabbit and would 

 think eighteen pounds (the extreme weight of a jack-rabbit or a 

 Scotch brown hare) , to be the extent of the largest eagle's capacity. 

 It follows, therefore, that the lambs taken are very small." 



The weights of the fawns and the fox, referred to above, were not 

 definitely known, but they probably did not exceed 18 pounds and may 

 have weighed much less. An eagle in rising from level ground must 



