108 



TWENTIETH CENTURY CLASSICS 



XXXII.— GOLDEJSr EAGLE. 



Aquila chrysaetos (Linn.). 



Kesident; rare. I am informed bj Dr. G. K. Kumsey 

 that a pair nested for several years in the southeastern part 

 of Comanche county, on a high gypsum ledge; and, as a 

 proof that he was not mistaken, he says that the legs of a 

 young bird captured were feathered to the toes. The late 

 rapid settlement of the county has put a stop to their 

 breeding there. Begin laying about the middle of March. 



Habitat. Northern portion of northern hemisphere; 

 south to Mexico. 



Iris brown; bill and claws horn blue; cere and feet 

 greenish yellow. 



The natural home of this king of birds is within the 

 mountain regions ; it is rarely met with in the eastern por- 

 tion of the United States, and is not abundant anywhere, 

 but tlie most common in the western portion of its range. 

 In flight this bird is not swift, but very powerful, sailing 

 for hours without an apparent effort, and often at a great 

 height — a mere speck in the sky. It is gifted with extra- 

 ordinary sight, and SAVoops down upon its prey with uner- 

 ring certainty. A ferocious monarch ; a tiger among birds. 

 It preys upon Grouse, Ducks, Geese, Swans, young fawns, 

 lambs, prairie dogs, rabbits, ground squirrels, etc. Some 

 writers state that when pressed with hunger they feed upon 

 carrion. While I know this to be the case with the Bald 

 Eagle, I think this proud bird would starve rather than 

 feed upon a putrid carcass. 



I kept one of these birds (a female) over a year in con- 

 finement, feeding her chiefly upon fresh beef ; if the least 



