EAGLES IN CAPTIVITY. 567 
parents, hearing the cries of their young, swoop down furiously, and 
fall upon the intrepid mountaineer, who beats them off with thrusts 
of his pike, whilst his companion waits a favourable opportunity to 
deliver his fire, which generally terminates the contest.” 
The Eagle has been taken in snares; but if the instrument is not 
fastened down securely to the ground, the bird will tear it up and 
bear it off. Mcisner relates that an Eagle, having been caught by the 
foot in a fox’s trap, struggled with such effect that it wrenched up 
the trap, and carried it away to the other side of the mountain, 
although the instrument weighed nearly nine pounds. 
The Scotch employ a peculiar method for capturing Eagles. In 
a narrow space, bounded by four tolerably high walls, they throw 
down pieces of raw meat. ‘The Eagles settle to devour it. When 
completely gorged they become too heavy to fly, and endeavour to 
make their way out through an opening at the foot of the walls, where 
they are caught and held fast by a running noose, which is placed in 
front of the exit. 
The Eagle is remarkable for its longevity; but this cannot be 
accurately determined. Klein mentions an instance of one of these 
birds which lived in captivity in Vienna for 104 years; he also 
speaks of a pair of Eagles in Forfarshire, in Scotland, which inha- 
bited the same aerie for such a length of time that the oldest 
inhabitants remembered them from childhood. 
If captured young, Eagles are susceptible of a certain amount of 
education; but there always remains a tinge of ferocity in their 
nature, which renders them gloomy and sullen. When taken old 
they are absolutely untamable. In captivity they adapt their appetite 
to circumstances, and will even devour their own race. When nothing 
better is to be obtained, serpents, lizards, and, according to Buffon, 
bread are acceptable food to them. 
Although the Eagle is so irascible by nature, it has sometimes 
given proofs of gentleness truly astonishing. We may instance the 
bird which lived in 1807 in the Jardin des Plantes, in Paris, which 
was captured in the forest of Fontainebleau. One of its feet was 
broken in the trap in which it was taken, and in consequence it 
was compelled to submit to a most painful operation, which it under- 
went with exemplary calmness and courage. Fully three months 
elapsed before it was cured, and afterwards it became so familiar with 
its keeper that it allowed itself to be caressed by him, and on his 
retiring for the night the bird roosted by his couch. 
The ancient falconers of the East were not in the habit of making 
use of the Eagle; its want of docility and its great weight rendered 
