THE EMPIRE OP THE AIK. 443 



A few eagles are to be found in Savoy; they are tlie finest, i)ut they 

 are rare. Some few are also to be seen in Egypt, l-'rom time to time a 

 passing bird is seen with an unusual ligure; when it is far distant one 

 remembers that it is jin eagle. In Algeria I was enabled to observe 

 this creature close at hand. In winter there were always three or four 

 stationed some 200 yards from my farmhouse. They were hunting 

 for wild ducks on a drowned meadow. Sometimes they came to in- 

 spect my barnyard, but from a distance, as they were not well re- 

 ceived. Upon the whole, they kept nearly as far away as one would 

 desire for a chicken's sake, for it does not take long to pick ui> a fowl. 

 There is a tremendous outcry from the roosters, then a terribh', hissing 

 and scuffle, and an unhappy egg producer is seen ascending into the 

 air, strewing her feathers by the way during her dizzy rise. 



The tales which are told of the eagle letting his prey drop when a 

 gun is fired at him, even when beyond range, are perfectly true. 

 Only in this, as in all else, it must be done at the proper moment. I 

 once caused the experiment to be tried by a sportsman who doubted 

 the fact. He made such haste that the eagle had not had time to kill 

 the duck before letting him go; the result was that the eagle went one 

 way and his victim another. As both by that time were three times 

 beyond range, we had to be content with looking on. 



Xot far from there, grew two great ash trees, where often in the 

 spring eagles were seen in pairs. Here it was that occurred that 

 wondrous tour de force of rising in the air, advancing against wind, 

 an observation of prime importance already described in a i^recediug 

 chapter. 



The (jreat golden Emilc. — Here is undoubtedly the king of the birds. 

 He possesses strength and courage. Having no enemy his equal, he 

 peacefully passes long days in the beatitude of uncontested autocracy. 

 The eagle fears none but man, and even him he fears but little. IJrought 

 to bay, he does not hesitate to liurl himself at his enemy. In captiv- 

 ity he is at first exceedingly dangerous; his ferocious temper renders 

 him an untamable animal. It re(iuires great skill to succeed in im- 

 |)r(^ssing him with fear, and moreover he must not be excited, for then 

 he will fight to the death. 



Nature has created liim to keep down undue increase. In this he is 

 like tlie felin (tigers, etc.), the sijwtU's (<log-fish, etc.), and tlie esox 

 (])ike etc.) This tyrant of the air is abundantly ])r(»vide(l with all the 

 weapons necessary for his innrderous life. His arms consist in eight 

 talons as long as a finger, <'urvc<l and shar[) pointed and mo\ed by 

 terrible mu.scles. His much-iiooiscd l)cak serves him to <'ar\«' the ani- 

 mal perforated by his talons. 



His wings are large and exceedingly strong. They arc i)re- 

 eminently adapted to sailing flight. He rarely beats the air unless 

 there is no wind, or unless he is loaded with a prey. Pen is i)owei- 

 less to depict the majesty of liis gait, the amplitude of the immense 



