Chap. 3.] EAGLES. 483 



witli remarkably small wings, while the rest of the body is 

 larger than the others ; but it is of a timid and degenerate 

 nature, so much so, that even a raven can beat it. It is always 

 famishing and ravenous, and has a plaintive murmuring cry. 

 It is the only one among the eagles that will carry off the 

 dead carcase ; the others settle on the spot where they have 

 killed their prey. The character of this species causes the 

 fifth one to be known by the distinctive name of " gnesios,"^* 

 as being the genuine eagle, and the only one of untainted 

 lineage ; it is of moderate size, of rather reddish colour, and 

 rarely to be met with. The haliiutus -^ is the last, and is re- 

 markable for its bright and piercing eye. It poises itself aloft, 

 and the moment it catches sight of a fish in the sea below, 

 pounces headlong upon it, and cleaving the water with its 

 breast, carries off its prey. 



The eagle which we have mentioned as forming the third 

 species, pursues the aquatic birds in the vicinity of standing 

 waters : in order to make their escape they plunge into the 

 water every now and then, until at length they are overtaken 

 by lassitude and sleep, upon which the eagle immediately seizes 

 them. The contest that takes place is really a sight worthy 

 to be seen. The bird makes for the shore to seek a refuge, 

 and especially if there should happen to be a bed of reeds 

 there ; while in the meantime the eagle endeavours to drive it 

 away with repeated blows of its wings, and tumbles into the 

 water in its attempts to seize it. While it is standing on the 

 shore its shadow is seen by the bird, which immediately dives 

 beneath, and then making its way in an opposite direction, 

 emerges at some point at which it thinks it is the least likely 

 to be looked for. This is the reason why these birds swim 

 in flocks, for when in large numbers they are in no danger 

 from the enemy ; as by dashing up the spray with their wings 

 they blind him. 



Again, it often happens that the eagle is not able to carry 

 the bird aloft on account of its weight, and in consequence 

 they both of them sink together. The halisetus, and this 

 one only, beats its young ones while in an unfledged state, 



■** TvrttTioQ. "True-born," "genuine." Cuvier thinks that this may 

 be the royal or imperial eagle, Falco imperialis. 



25 The great sea-eagle, according to Cuvier, the varieties of •which (in 

 age) are called by Linneeus " Falco albicaudus/' and " Falco ossifraga." 



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