266 Cameron, The Golden Eagle in Montana. [xulv 



Although this article is already very long, I cannot refrain from 

 pointing out that Mr. Oberholser has evidently been misled by 

 other writers when he states (page 21) that the Golden Eagle is 

 untamable. In my own experience the bird is not difficult to 

 tame, and even a wild-caught example soon becomes tractable. 

 At first the newly trapped eagle is savage, and, with spread wings, 

 darts out its terrible foot at any advancing object; but by patience, 

 in a few weeks, the bird's confidence may be won. It never uses 

 its bill in attack or defense, but drives its talons into, or through 

 the cause of provocation and then constricts the foot. In this 

 manner a Golden Eagle has been known to kill a full grown 

 otter which had gnawed away the bottom of the wooden partition 

 which separated them.^ In writing of a male Golden Eagle which 

 he kept for twenty-five days Mr. P. M. Silloway states: "The bird 

 became quite tame and allowed me to caress and handle it through 

 the bars of its box." ^ I have myself found that the bold, unshrink- 

 ing nature of the royal bird renders it easier to domesticate than 

 some of the more nervous or timorous hawks. 



Mr. James Inglis, above mentioned, informed me that the late 

 Duchess of Sutherland had a tame Golden Eagle which was pre- 

 sented to her in 1866 when it was a year old. A Mr. McDonald 

 first looked after the bird and could handle it in any way he chose. 

 The eagle especially liked to be stroked under the wings, and gave 

 vent to continuous little cries of approval when caressed in this 

 manner. As is always the case, the bird was wild-with strangers, 

 and would strike viciously at them with one foot — the invariable 

 method of attack. Later, this eagle was confided to the care of 

 Inglis, and became on most friendly terms with him, until one day 

 he secured it under a salmon landing-net in order that its house 

 might be cleaned. From this time forward the bird was always 

 suspicious of him, and never again resumed its former amicable 

 relations. The eagle, which was a male, lived in perfect health 

 for 23 years. At the end of that time it fell on its back in a kind of 

 fit, after clutching a rabbit, and died two months afterwards. In 

 reply to a question regarding this eagle Mr. Inglis further states in 

 lit: "He moulted every year in May. There were six beautiful 



1 Country Life, Jan. 20, 1906. 



2 Birds of Fergus County, Montana, p. 31. 



