LIVING CREATURES. 



The story of this eagle causing the death of ^Eschylus 

 (F/skilus) may be true ; and if so, it is a warning to 

 bald-headed people to wear their hats in the presence 

 of great eagles. ^Eschylus was a Grecian poet who 

 lived about five hundred years before Christ. On ac- 

 count of some serious charges made against him, he 

 was banished from his country and took up his resi- 

 dence in Sicily. Once, while sitting in a wild and se- 

 cluded place, with his smooth and venerable head ex- 



posed, the great Alpine eagle 

 was sailing in the air above 

 him, carrying a tortoise. 



It is the habit of eagles 

 and of some other birds, 

 when they have a turtle in 

 seizing ciaw. hand, to rise high in the air 



and drop it on a rock so as to break its shell. At 

 this moment, when the poor old man was thinking of 

 nothing but his heart troubles, the eagle mistook him 

 for a rock ; and with wonderful precision, let the tor- 

 toise drop on his bald head. And alas ! ^Eschylus 

 was killed. 



Eagles, hawks, and buzzards are diurnal birds of 

 prey. Owls are nocturnal birds of prey, and are called 

 "cats of the air." Nearly all birds have the eyes on 

 opposite sides of the head, so that with one eye they 

 can watch their prey, while with the other eye they 

 can observe the movements of their enemies. 



Owls going out on their hunts at night, are not in 

 danger from other stronger inhabitants of the air, for 

 these are all asleep. They have only to look for their 

 victims; and, therefore, their eyes are in the face or 



