94 THE HAWKS AND OWLS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



are generally seen hnnting in jiairs in the early spring, aliasing ducks, 

 geese, and sage bens, and mostly successfully. I came within a few 

 feet of one gorging itself on a yellow-footed marmot [Arctomys] it had 

 just captured." (Proc. Bost. See. -Nat. Hist., vol. xix, 1877, p. 137.) 



Dr. E. A. Meariis, U. S. Army, in a note on the Golden Eagle, says: 

 " Several years ago a Golden Eagle was shot opposite tliose cliffs by a 

 farmer at Cold Sin-ing [Kew York] while in the act of destroying 

 a goose belonging to the farmer." (Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, vol. iii, 

 1878, p. 100.) 



Mr. George A. Boardman captured a Golden Eagle under the follow- 

 ing circumstances: " When out snipe shooting October 16 (1880), a big 

 Blue Heron flew up and almost immediately dropped to the ground. 

 Instantly a large bird came like a meteor and struck the Heron with 

 full force, aiul in their excitement I got a tine specimen of the Golden 

 Eagle." (Bnll. Nutt. Ornith. Chib, vol. vi, 1881, p. 58.) 



Althoiigli this eagle usually attacks quarry which is easy to secure, 

 Mr. l\ol)ert Ividgway shows that it is capable of capturing agile 

 game: "At Camp 19, on the last named mountains, [East Hum- 

 boldt, Nev.,] on the 20th of July, we were so fortunate as to witness 

 the chase and capture of a Sage-Hen {Cenirocercus urophasimiUK) 

 by a pair of these Eagles. We were standing a few yards in the 

 rear of a tent when our attention was arrested by a rushing noise, and 

 upon looking up the slope of the mountain we saw flying down its 

 wooded side with the rajiidity of an arrow a Sage-Hen pursued by two 

 Eagles. The Hen was about 20 yards in advance of her pursuers, ex- 

 erting herself to the utmost to escape; her wings, from their rapid 

 motion, being scarcely visible. The Eagles in hot pursuit (the larger 

 of the two leading), follo\ve«l eveiy undulation of the fugitive's course, 

 steadily lessening the distance between them and the object of their 

 pursuit; their wings not moving, except when a slight inclination was 

 necessary to enable them to follow a curve in the course of the fugitive. 

 So intent were they in the chase that they ])assed within 20 yards of 

 us. They had scarcely gone by, however, when the Sage Hen, wearied 

 by her continued exertion, and hoping, probably, to conceal herself 

 among the bushes, droi)ped to the ground; but no sooner had she 

 touched it than she was immediately snatched u]) by the foremost of 

 her relentless pursuers, who, not stopping in its flight, bore the j)rize 

 rapidly toward the rocky summits of the higher peaks, accompanied 

 by its mate." (U. S. Geol. Expl. of the Fortieth Parallel, King, vol. 

 IV, 1877, p. 591.) 



Numerous sensational stories have appeared from time to time 

 relating to the carrying off of children by Eagles, the great majority of 

 which have originated in the fertile brains 'of their versatile reporters. 

 There is little doubt that if a hungry Eagle found a young baby unpro- 

 tected it would carry it off. The statements that babies have been car. 

 ried away by Eagles and later recovered fioni the nest uninjured are as 

 ridiculous as they are untrue. 



