144 THE EAGLE KIND. 



ciently distinguished ; and though, like the rest of the 

 genus, all its habits are unclean, it is doubtless the most 

 beautiful of them. 



THE EAGLE KIND. 



Birds of the eagle kind, of which there are several dis- 

 tinct species in the Linnaean arrangement, belong to the 

 genus falco. They generally fix their retreats remote from 

 the habitations of men ; choosing rather to prey on the wild 

 game of the forest (thus getting only a precarious subsist- 

 ence) than to sacrifice their safety to their appetites. 



The eagle is among birds what the lion is among qua- 

 drupeds. They both exercise a kind of sovereignty over 

 their fellows of the forest ; equally magnanimous, they 

 disdain all petty plunder, and pursue only such animals 

 as are worthy of conquest. The eagle will not share the 

 spoils of another bird, but rejects what is not acquired by 

 its own industry and prowess. However craving its appe- 

 tite, it never stoops to feed on carrion ; and, when once 

 satiated, never returns a second time to satisfy its hunger 

 on the same carcase. It is proud and indignant under re- 

 straint ; yet is capable, with kind usage, of being tamed ; 

 and has been known to evince no small share of attach- 

 ment to its keeper. 



The eagle soars the highest of all the feathered tribe, 

 and hence has been emphatically denominated the bird of 

 heaven. Its eye is so strong, that it can look undazzled 

 on the sun ; but its sense of smelling is much inferior to 

 that of the vulture. Though very vigorous when on the 

 wing, it finds some difficulty in rising after a descent ; but 

 yet will with facility carry off a goose, a hare, a lamb, or 

 any other animal equally large. Even infants have at 

 times fallen victims to its rapacity. 



THE COMMON EAGLE. 



The common eagle is of a brown colour : the head and 

 the upper part of the neck incline to red ; the feathers of 



