96 THE EAGLE. 



and there deposited his "burden. Some people herding sheep 

 perceived it, and hearing the infant cry, hurried to the spot 

 and found it uninjured. The name of the child was Niel, 

 but he was afterwards distinguished and called by a Gaelic 

 word, signifying Eagle. In Sweden a deplorable circumstance 

 occurred to the mother of a child . she was working in the 

 folds, and had laid her infant on the ground, at a little 

 distance ; soon after an Eagle darted down, and carried it off. 

 For a considerable time the wretched woman heard the poor 

 child screaming in the air, but there was no help. She saw it 

 no more; in a little time she lost her reason, and soon 

 afterwards was confined in the lunatic asylum of the town 

 near which it happened. 



On Tirst Holm, one of the Faroe Islands, situated between 

 the north of Scotland and Iceland, a similar fact occurred; 

 an Eagle caught up an infant lying at a little distance from 

 its mother, and carried it to its nest, situated on a point of 

 high rock, so steep that the boldest bird-catchers had never 

 ventured to attempt to climb it; the mother, however, as- 

 cended and reached the nest, but alas ! too late : the child 

 was dead, and its eyes torn out. But the most striking story 

 we have met with, is the brave behaviour of a little boy in 

 America : it occurred in the parish of St. Ambrose, near New 

 York. Two boys, the one seven and the other five years old, 

 were amusing themselves by trying to reap, while their parents 

 were at dinner. A large Eagle soon came sailing over them, 

 and with a sudden swoop attempted to seize the eldest, but 

 luckily missed him. The bird, not at all dismayed, alighted 

 at a short distance, and in a few moments repeated his attempt. 

 This bold little fellow, however, gallantly defended himself 

 with his sickle, which he fortunately held in his hand, and 

 when the bird rushed upon him, resolutely struck at it. The 

 sickle entered under the left wing, and the blow having been 

 given strongly, went through the ribs, and piercing the liver, 

 proved fatal. On opening the bird's stomach, it was found 

 entirely empty, which may explain in some degree the 

 cause of so unusual an attack. The brave little boy did not 



