PROLONGED FASTING. 2?1 



finement. Some were taken from the nest, but others had 

 been captured when of mature age. As with other birds 

 and beasts of prey, their power of abstaining from food is 

 quite astonishing. In one instance a bird was brought to me 

 that had been captured in a pit.fall during the preceding 

 night. How long it had then fasted is hard to say; but 

 certain it is, that though food was constantly before it in 

 the interim, it never for eight days touched a morsel ; and 

 what is perhaps still more singular, it appeared in perfect 

 health the whole while. 



But this was not so remarkable an instance of prolonged 

 fasting, as that mentioned by M. von Wright, respecting 

 the cinereous eagle. " An old bird that I winged," he says, 

 " could not for thirteen days be induced to touch the smallest 

 particle of fresh fish, or birds, that were placed before it, 

 so that I was at length obliged to shoot it, that it might 

 not be longer tormented." 



For the sake of specimens, I not infrequently shot these 

 birds : on one occasion in a somewhat singular way. Passing 

 through a thick wood, I was startled by something descend- 

 ing, with a great flop, on to my hat. Looking up, I espied to 

 my wonderment a huge eagle owl, perched in a pine tree 

 immediately above me ; and at once understood that it was 

 the bird who had favoured me with the missile, which was of 

 a peculiarly disagreeable nature.* Whether it was fright or 



* A somewhat similar incident happened on another occasion. Some 

 labourers who were at work on my premises, were eating their dinner in 

 the open air ; but whilst sitting around, and amicably discussing a nice dish 

 of stirabout, a raven flew over their heads, and by way of dessert, I presume, 

 fired a shot to their utter discomfiture, and to my great amusement, into the 

 bowl itself ! They say the raven is a bird of ill-omen. In this instance the poor 

 fellows were certainly justified in saying that its presence boded no good. 





