HUNTERS ON THE WATCH. 19 



When the eaglets are hatched, they are covered with a 

 reddish down, and possess legs and beak of most dispropor- 

 tionate length. Their parents do not drive them out of the 

 eyrie until their plumage is complete and they are able 

 to fly. But before this decisive moment, when they in- 

 troduce their progeny into society, the eagles abundantly 

 provide them with game of every description, so that the 

 edges of the nest are covered with fragments of bone and 

 skin and putrid flesh. 



I was returning one winter evening, in the month of 

 February, from trout-fishing in the mountains of Cum- 

 berland, and we were descending, two friends and myself, 

 from the abrupt escarpments abutting on the valley in 

 whose midst was built the house of the farmer who gave 

 us lodging, when I pointed out to my companions certain 

 long whitish and chalky lumps of ordure, undoubtedly 

 proceeding from a bird of prey. 



The peasant accompanying us informed me that there 

 were eagles in the midst of these rocks, and pretended 

 that he had seen them that same evening, but out of 

 range. 



" The robbers," he added, " have carried off more sheep 

 and poultry of my master's than they are worth dollars." 



I resolved, while listening to our guide, to seize this 

 opportunity of observing the habits of the American 

 eagles, and after persuading my friends to halt, we con- 

 cealed ourselves under a projecting crag, and remained 

 there for what seemed to us a very long period. To say 

 nothing of the weariness of " hope deferred," I was 

 forced to listen to our peasant, who poured into my 

 ear all his private woes, and his particular grievances 



