138 STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 



door-yard in front of the house, and, if any 

 well-dressed person came through the yard to 

 the house, the eade would sit still, and make 



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no objections ; but if a ragged person came 

 into the door-yard, he would fly at him, seizing 

 his clothes with one claw, and holding on to the 

 grass with the other. In this way, he would 

 make him a prisoner. The OAvner of the house 

 was often called upon to release people who 

 had been captured by this eagle. It is a cu- 

 rious fact, that the bird never attacked people, 

 however ragged they might be, if they ap- 

 proached the house by the back door. It was 

 only when they attempted to enter through 

 the front door that he assailed them. He 

 had some other curious habits, as, for in- 

 stance, instead of going out every day in order 

 to get his breakfast, dinner, and supper, his 

 custom was, about once a week, to make a 

 hearty meal, which lasted him for six or seven 

 days. His common food was the king bird. 

 He would sometimes catch ten of these birds, 

 in the course of a few hours. The eagle must 

 have been very dexterous to have done it, by 

 the way, for the king bird is surprisingly quick 

 in his motions, and does not make any thing of 

 the task of catching bees by wholesale, as they 

 are going into their hive. I watched one last 



