188 BRITAIN'S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 



swamp. The food is very varied — birds, mammals, carrion, 

 and fish. The last-named forms an important item — very 

 much more so than with the Golden Eagle. The Erne 

 is not a particularly skilful fisher, and relies to a great 

 extent on dead fish washed up by the tide. Some 

 kinds of fish that frequently bask on the surface are, 

 however, easily caught. Sometimes the prey proves too 

 large, and the Eagle, being quite unable to extract its 

 claws, is drowned, the fish ultimately perishing also. 

 Sometimes, while not being able to fly, the Eagle manages 

 with the help of a favourable wind to reach the shore. 

 In such circumstances it will carefully use its beak to dig 

 out its buried talons, and then to preen its plumage for 

 flight. Then, and not till then, does it attack its hard- 

 won meal ; but an Eagle has sometimes been captured 

 before these preparations were complete. The closely 

 allied White-headed or ' Bald ' Eagle of North America often 

 resorts to piratical methods. When that much more suc- 

 cessful fisherman the Osprey (or ' Fish-Hawk ') is bearing 

 home his prey, the tyrant swoops at him, and with 

 threatening movements forces him to drop the fish. Then, 

 darting like a thunderbolt, head first, and with wings 

 working to increase the awe-inspiring speed, the Eagle 

 overtakes the falling fish and sweeps off" with it in an 

 ascending curve. 



Although of immense strength, the Sea-Eagle shows little 

 boldness in its hunting. Except when pressed by hunger 

 it seldom attacks a bird or mammal of any size, and it is 

 subject to serious annoyance, although not actual attack, 

 from Falcons, Crows, Gulls, and others, near whose nests 

 it may stray ; a pair of Skuas, for instance, will completely 

 beat it off". It will also allow itself to be driven from a 

 carcass by a dog, and will venture nothing but feigned 

 swoops while its canine rival is satisfying its hxinger. 



