The Black Eagle. 193 



eagle in its young state, but others make it a distinct 

 species. It is about twice as large as the raven. The 

 parts about the beak and the eye are bare of feathers, 

 and somewhat reddish; the head, neck, and breast 

 black ; in the middle of the back, between the shoulders, 

 there is a large white spot, dashed with red ; a black 

 streak sweeps along the feathers, and is followed by a 

 white one ; the remaining part of the wing to tke tip 

 is of a dark ash-colour. This bird has beautiful hazel 

 eyes, full of animation : his legs are feathered down a 

 little below the tarsal joint, the naked part being red ; 

 his talons are very long. He is found in France, Ger- 

 many, Poland, and delights in Alpine mountains, where 

 he makes the vales and woods resound with his incessant 

 screamings when in search of prey. 



The Abbe Spallanzani had an eagle of this species, 

 so powerful as to be able to kill dogs that were much 

 larger than itself. When a dog was placed before it, 

 the bird would ruffle up the feathers on its head and 

 neck, cast a dreadful look at its victim, take a short 

 flight, and immediately alight on its back. It held the 

 head firmly with one foot, and thus secured the dog from 

 biting, and with the other grasped one of his flanks, at 

 the same time driving its talons into the body ; and in 

 this attitude it continued, till the dog expired with 

 fruitless outcries and efforts. 



The eyes of eagles are celebrated for their brilliancy 

 and strength, which has given rise to the popular opinion 

 that they can gaze on the sun without shrinking : 

 though this, from the overhanging eyebrow of the 

 Eagle, would be an extremely difficult feat for the bird 

 to perform. The eyes of all birds are curiously con- 

 structed, so as to enable them to see both distant objects 

 and near ones with equal facility ; and for this purpose 

 they are furnished with a membrane placed near the 

 edge of the crystalline lens of the eye, by which it can 

 be moved at pleasure. The orbit of the eye is formed 

 of about twelve or sixteen bony plates, which slide over 

 each other when necessary. Birds are also furnished 

 with an additional eyelid, of extremely thin texture, 

 with which they occasionally appear to shade their eyes. 



