BIRDS'-NESTS 123 



so seldom is the eagle seen that its presence always 

 seems accidental. It appears as if merely paus- 

 ing on the way, while bound for some distant 

 unknown region. One September, while a youth, 

 I saw the ring-tailed eagle, the young of the golden 

 eagle, an immense, dusky bird, the sight of which 

 filled me with awe. It lingered about the hills 

 for two days. Some young cattle, a two-year-old 

 colt, and half a dozen sheep were at pasture on a 

 high ridge that led up to the mountain, and in 

 plain view of the house. On the second day this 

 dusky monarch was seen flying about above them. 

 Presently he began to hover over them, after the 

 manner of a hawk watching for mice. He then 

 with extended legs let himself slowly down upon 

 them, actually grappling the backs of the young 

 cattle, and frightening the creatures so that they 

 rushed about the field in great consternation; and 

 finally, as he grew bolder and more frequent in his 

 descents, the whole herd broke over the fence and 

 came tearing down to the house "like mad." It 

 did not seem to be an assault with intent to kill, but 

 was perhaps a stratagem resorted to in order to sep- 

 arate the herd and expose the lambs, which hugged 

 the cattle very closely. When he occasionally 

 alighted upon the oaks that stood near, the branch 

 could be seen to sway and bend beneath him. 

 Finally, as a rifleman started out in pursuit of him, 

 he launched into the air, set his wings, and sailed 

 away southward. A few years afterward, in Jan- 

 uary, another eagle passed through the same local- 



