116 THE EAGLE. 



river, he determined to watch for them, and in high 

 expectation seated himself, with his friend, about a 

 hundred yards from the foot of the rock. For two long 

 hours he waited with great impatience and curiosity, 

 when the approach of the old Eagles was announced by 

 loud hissings, which he soon perceived to be uttered by 

 two young ones crawling from the extremity of their 

 hole, to receive a fine fish presented by the parent, as it 

 held itself to the projecting rock, something after the 

 manner of a House Swallow, its tail spread out, and its 

 wings partly so. That they might not be observed, or 

 frighten the birds away, they crouched down, and kept 

 perfect silence, not whispering a single word. In a few 

 minutes the other parent joined its mate: it also had 

 brought a fish, but being not so bold, or more suspi- 

 cious, before it ventured to alight, it glanced its quick 

 and piercing eye around, and instantly catching sight of 

 the spectators, dropped the prey, and with a loud shriek 

 communicated its alarm to the other, which, loosening 

 its hold, hovered over their heads, keeping up a sort of 

 growling threatening cry of intimidation. 



At the same moment, the young birds, as if aware of 

 some danger, shrunk back, and buried themselves in the 

 chink of the rock ; and, as further waiting would have 

 been unavailing, the observers went to the bottom of 

 the precipice, and picked up the fish that had fallen ; it 

 proved to be a sort of large perch, weighing about five 

 pounds and a half; the upper part of the head was 

 broken in, and the back much torn by the talons of the 

 Eagle. The sport being over, as they journeyed home, 

 they agreed to return, and endeavour to procure, dead or 

 alive, both the old and young birds. 



Accordingly, on the third day following, they assem- 

 bled with some additional hands, well provided with 

 guns, and materials for ensuring success, and proceeded 

 to post themselves, some at the foot and some at the 

 top of the rock ; but all in vain. The Eagles had been 

 beforehand, and proved too cunning for them. The 



