204: THE ADVENTURES OF 



ly of all birds of prey. Falcons were once used for hunt- 

 ing ; for, as you have just seen, they have no fear of attack- 

 ing adversaries much larger than themselves. Added to 

 this, they are easily tamed." 



" But eagles are much stronger than falcons ?" 



" Eagles are birds of prey which do not at all merit the 

 reputation which poets have endeavored to make for them ; 

 although they may be stronger, they exhibit much less 

 bravery than falcons, and only attack animals of small 

 size." 



" Yet, surely the eagle is the king of birds ; is it not able 

 to look straight at the sun ?" 



" Yes, thanks to a membrane that shuts down over the 

 pupil of its eye. Among all nations the eagle is the sym- 

 bol of strength and courage : but still the falcon possesses 

 the latter of these qualities in a much higher degree ; it 

 is the falcon which is the real king of birds among orni- 

 thologists. The Mexicans, as you know, depict upon their 

 banners an eagle sitting upon a cactus and tearing a ser- 

 pent." 



" Is this intended as an emblem of strength and cour- 

 age?" 



"No, it has another origin. When the Aztecs, who 

 were thought to be natives of Northern America, arrived 

 in Mexico (which then bore the name of Anahuac), they 

 wandered about a long time before they settled. One day, 

 near a lake, they found a cactus growing on a stone, and 

 on the cactus an eagle was sitting. Guided by an oracle, 

 a city was built, which was called Tenochtitlan, and sub- 

 sequently Mexico." 



My historical lecture was interrupted by a distant shot. 

 We had heard nothing of the doves for a long time, and 

 we were expecting to see our companion reappear ; but he 

 must have made an enormous curve in pursuing them, to 



