88 GOLDEN-EAGLE AND WHITETAILED-EAGLE 



approach with food he now runs to meet them, and be it noted, in 

 taking possession thereof, spreads his wings to cover his prey, as is 

 the custom with raptorial birds ; but he does this in spite of the fact 

 that he is the only occupant of the nest. When left to himself he 

 now makes short voyages of discovery, wandering along the ledges 

 of the rock near the nest, but returning thereto at night. Should the 

 parents return to the nest and find it empty they speedily discover 

 the whereabouts of the truant, and leave his meal with him. 



By July 9th the youngster is two months old, and several times 

 daily practises flight with great gusto, standing with legs well apart 

 and flapping vigorously. Four days later he has gained strength 

 and skill enough to mount, albeit insecurely, on the top of 

 a stone. At nine weeks old his meals have increased in number to 

 three per diem, and now the parents no longer remove the broken 

 meats of his feasts from the nest, but all refuse is allowed to 

 accumulate. This fact was noted on July 13th. Ten days later the 

 whole eyrie had become "filthy beyond description, and swarming 

 with vermin." His parents evidently realise that in a day or two 

 longer the youngster will be able to leave the nest. And the mother, 

 as if to test the truth of her calculations, on bringing him his morning 

 meal, tempts him to make a trial flight. Settling on the far side of 

 the nest she flapped her wings vigorously, as if giving him a lesson. 

 The eaglet, ravenous with hunger, for one brief moment flew clumsily 

 towards her, then lit on his feet by her side, following on foot as she 

 backed away. A week later his career as a nestling ended. 



At the time of this momentous flight the eaglet was eleven weeks 

 old, and he had still much to learn, was still dependent on his 

 parents for food, taking lessons daily in the art of capturing and 

 killing prey, and receiving instructions, doubtless, in the no less 

 important art of avoiding enemies Man in particular. 



Not the least interesting part of these observations is the evid- 

 ence we have brought to light of the comparatively small share borne 

 by the male in the arduous duties of catering for the young. He 



