THE GOLDEN EAGLE 23 



though I cannot say I have ever come across the remains 

 of either of these animals in an ejTie. 



I believe the eagle is more destructive to lambs on the 

 west coast than in the central districts, partly, no doubt, 

 owing to the more extensive sheep farms towards the 

 western sea-board. From one such farm thirty-five lambs 

 were carried off in a single season, so it can be realised that 

 between eagle and shepherd there exists little friendly 

 feeling. There is an instance recorded of an eagle carrying 

 a lamb no less than two miles, and then dropping it none 

 the worse for its adventure. It is also related that a poor 

 man in Ireland once tided over a season of famine by 

 taking daUy some of the food the parent eagles brought 

 for their young. He succeeded thus in providing for him- 

 self, his wife, and his family, for several months, and by 

 clipping the wings of the young birds, protracted their 

 stay in the nest. 



In this country a couple of grouse and a mountain 

 hare would be held as quite a satisfactorily-proportioned 

 larder, but in an ejTie in Germany the remains of three 

 hundred duck and forty hares were once found — if report 

 be credited. On a certain occasion the tables were turned 

 on the bird of prey, for a cat which was carried by the eagle 

 to her eyrie in an apparently dead condition is said to have 

 revived and eaten the eaglets during the parents' absence. 



Up to the age of three weeks the eaglets are still clad 

 entirely in do■^^^l, and there is no sign of the permanent 

 feathers. Once these appear, however, they grow rapidly, 

 and after three more weeks the down is visible only in 

 patches. It is about the neck that the dowTiy covering 

 lingers longest, and an eaglet, after having assumed the 

 full plumage on the other parts of the body, still has the 

 feathers of the neck in an unopened and rudimentary 

 condition. In its early youth the eaglet has no fear of 

 the human intruder, though maybe if it becomes cold 



