232 HALIAETUS ALBICILLA. 



himself sufficiently for flight, and then, and not before, he 

 feasts on his slippery victim if he perceives the coast clear of 

 danger and detection. 



" The account given by Von Buch of the mode in which 

 Eagles in Norway sometimes attack cattle, may be more ap- 

 parently than really improbable. Granting the fact however, 

 it is not likely that it relates to the Albicilla, a bird by no 

 means remarkable for courage ; though, like the wolf, there is 

 no saying to what lengths hunger may impel him. Nor would 

 the attack be probably made with so reasonable and politic a 

 calculation of means as that of throwing dust in the eyes of his 

 victim. A fact however may be very commonplace, while its 

 theory may be marvellous enough. In this way, perhaps, it may 

 be accounted for : — Eagles are numerous in Norway ; so are 

 fish. In their attempts to catch them, their plumage may be 

 wetted, and in drying it they may roll themselves, like poultry, 

 in sand or mould, and soon after may be seen to attack the 

 diminutive cattle of these regions, as the Golden Eagle, I be- 

 lieve, sometimes assails deer, by striking at their heads and 

 eyes. And why might not the Erne attack a weak horse or 

 ox, as well as the Raven ? or, it may be their habit, like that 

 of Crows and Ravens, during warm weather, especially when 

 annoyed by vermin, or during the moulting season, to wash 

 themselves, and then roll amongst the sand or dry earth. 



" He is attacked, or rather molested, by every bird, great or 

 small, when he approaches their nests. Gulls, Lestres, Oyster- 

 catchers, Terns, all repeatedly dash up to him, but yet not dar- 

 ing contact, their clamours, not their blows, being the weapons 

 to which they prudently have recourse, and they thus literally 

 scold him from his propriety, and their territories ; for with a 

 very rustic awkwardness, and want of self-possession, he makes 

 his obeisance, and decamps. 



" He breeds on the most inaccessible clifts, remote from the 

 vicinity of other birds, unless it may be a pair of Ravens ; lays 

 two eggs, sometimes three, it is said ; and generally has two 

 young ones. He is seldom shot, being very circumspect, but 

 if wounded, is very tenacious of life. I have seen one fly a 



