60 THE GOLDEN EAGLE. 



On the 23rd of the same month another splendid specimen 

 — also a female, measuring 7 feet across the wings — was 

 shot by Mr Cox, gamekeeper, on the high parts of Dalna- 

 brick hills. Another seen hovering about was supposed to be 

 the male. From these recent snatches of its history, it might 

 be thought that the golden eagle is not so rare after all in 

 Scotland ; but these examples only prove how much it is 

 hunted and shot down. 



In 1879 a dead eagle was found in Greece, with an arrow a 

 foot long fixed in the flesh under the wing. The arrow was of 

 African construction. So the wounded eagle had flown all the 

 way from Africa — across the Mediterranean — with the arrow in 

 its body. But, as already said, the eagle is noted for its speed 

 and sustained power of flight, which is necessary for its 

 marauding mission. Yet, for swiftness and sustained effort it 

 is not to be compared to the little sand-martin, swallow, or 

 swift, or even the little swallow-tailed hovering tern ; but for 

 altitude — unless it be the condor of the Andes, and other 

 vultures —no bird penetrates the clouds higher than the golden 

 eagle — so well shown in the fable of the wren, which, in the 

 competition for pre-eminence in flight, alighted unnoticed on 

 the eagle's back, and, waiting till the king of birds had reached 

 his highest point, flew still higher, and claimed the prize before 

 descending to its lowly shrubbery — a good illustration of but 

 too many money-grubs, who craftily raise themselves up to 

 success on the backs of others. 



Shakespeare not inaptly says in" Titus Andronicus" : — 



" Is the sun dimm'd that gnats fly in it? 

 The eagle suffers little birds to sing, 

 And is not careful what they mean thereby, 

 Knowing that, with the shadow of his wings, 

 He can at pleasure stint their melody." 



Domestic fowls are aware of the presence of an eagle soaring 

 two thousand feet above them ; and " Coriolanus" gives a fine 

 illustration of the dread birds have of the eagle, thus — 



" Cut me to pieces, Volsces ; men and lads, 

 Stain all your edges on me. Boy ! False hound ! 

 If you have writ your annals true, 'tis there 

 That, like an eagle in a dove-cot, I 

 Flutter' d your Volscians in Coriolli ; 

 Alone I did it— Boy !" 



And though Burns truly says — 



" The eagle's gaze alone surveys 

 The sun's meridian splendour," 



