128 HABITS OF BIRDS. 



dom seen congregating in flocks, but of whom one 

 or two solitary birds will intermingle with the Tur- 

 key buzzard (Catharista aura, VIEILLOT), and, of 

 course, appear conspicuous among them from their 

 more striking form and colours. 



It is not improbable that similar solitary habits in 

 the lion and the eagle, together with their magni- 

 tude and their strength, have given origin to the ti- 

 tles of king of the beasts and king of the birds, cur- 

 rent all over the world. " The eagle," says Jonston, 

 " challengeth the first place, not that it is the best 

 dish at table, for none will eat it, but because it is 

 the king of the birds."* The ancient Greeks used 

 the same term, as we find Pindar talking of " the 

 great eagle, the chief magistrate of the birds. "f Jo- 

 sephus, the Jewish historian, also says the eagle was 

 selected for the Roman legionary standards, be- 

 cause he is " the king of all the birds and the most 

 powerful of them all, whence he has become the 

 emblem of empire and the omen of victory ;"J and 

 this conclusion is singularly enforced by Aldrovand, 

 who tells us that the eagle "challenges 'Iragons to 

 battle and fights with them ; attacks bulls and slays 

 them ;" adding the anti-climax that " he overcomes 

 leverets, tears foxes, and feeds upon snakes. " 



" Caius Marius," says Pliny, " in his second con- 

 sulship, ordained that the legions of Roman soldiers 

 only should have the eagle for their standard, and 

 no other ensign ; for before-time the eagle marched 

 foremost indeed, but in a ranke of four others, to wit, 

 of wolves, minotaurs, horses, and boars, which were 

 borne each one before their own several squadrons 

 and companies. Not many years past, the standard 

 of the eagle alone began to be advanced into the 

 field of battle, and the rest of the ensigns were left 



* Miracles of Nature, Englished by a Person of Quality, p. 

 167, fol., Lortd., 1667. 



t Ode vi., Isthmior. $ Josephus, De Bello Judico, iii., 5. 

 4 Ornothologia, i., 10. 



