128 HABITS OF BIRDS. 
dom seen congregating in flocks, but of whom one 
or two solitary birds will intermingle with the Tur- 
key buzzard (Catharista aura, Vieituot), and, of 
course, appear conspicuous among them from their 
more striking form and colours. 
It is not improbable that similar solitary habits in 
the lion and the eagle, together with their magni- 
tude and their strength, have given origin to the ti- 
tles of king of the beasts and king of the birds, cur- 
rent all over the world. ‘The eagle,” says Jonston, 
“challengeth the first place, not that it is the best 
dish at table, for none will eat it, but because it is 
the king of the birds.”* The ancient Greeks used 
the same term, as we find Pindar talking of ‘“ the 
great eagle, the chief magistrate of the birds.” Jo- 
sephus, the Jewish historian, also says the eagle was 
selected for the Roman legionary standards, be- 
cause he is “the king of all the birds and the most 
powerful of them all, whence he has become the 
emblem of empire and the omen of victory ;”{ and 
this conclusion is singularly enforced by Aldrovand, 
who tells us that the eagle “challenges dragons to 
battle and fights with them; attacks bulls and slays 
them ;” adding the anti-climax that “he overcomes 
leverets, tears foxes, and feeds upon snakes.’’} 
“Caius Marius,” says Pliny, “ in his second con- 
sulship, ordained that the legions of Roman soldiers 
only should have the eagle for their standard, and 
no other ensign; for before-time the eagle marched 
foremost indeed, but inaranke of four others, to wit, 
of wolves, minotaurs, horses, and boars, which were 
borne each one before their own several squadrons 
andcompanies. Not many years past, the standard 
of the eagle alone began to be advanced into the 
field of battle, and the rest of the ensigns were left 
* Miracles of Nature, Englished by a Person of Quality, p. 
167, fol., Lond., 1667. ; - 
+ Ode vi., Isthmior. t Josephus, De Bello Judico, iii., 5. 
§ Ornothologia, 1., 10. 
