THE OSPREY. 



289 



generally under cover during the day, the Eagle is forced to drive them 

 from their place of concealment, and manages the matter in a very 

 clever and sportsmanlike manner. One of the Eagles conceals itself 

 near the cover which is to be beaten, and its companion then dashes 

 among the bushes, screaming and making such a disturbance that the 

 terrified inmates rush out in hopes 

 of escape, and are immediately 

 pounced upon by the watchful 

 confederate. 



The prey is immediately taken 

 to the ne^t, and distributed to the 

 young if there should be any ea- 

 glets in the lofty cradle. 



Owing to the expanse of the 

 wings and the great power of the 

 muscles, the flight of this bird is 

 peculiarly bold, striking, and 

 graceful. It sweeps through the 

 air in a succession of spiral 

 curv^es, rising with every spire, and 

 making no perceptible motion with 

 its wings, until it has attained an 

 altitude at which it is hardly vis- 

 ible. From that post of vantage 

 the Eagle marks the ground be- 

 low, and swoops down with light- 

 ning rapidity upon bird or beast 

 that may happen to take its fancy. 



It is not, however, so active at ris- ^ ^ ^ / . ., , 



/. ■ , J -1x1 The GoT.D'E^ Eagi.^ (Aquila clirysaetos). 



ing irom the ground as might be \ i ^y ^ 



imagined, and can be disabled by a comparatively slight injury on the 

 wing. One of these birds, that was detected by a young shepherd-boy 

 in the act of devouring some dead sheep, was disablec^ by a pebble hurl- 

 ed at him from a sling, and was at last ignominiously stoned to death. 



The Eagle is supposed to be a very long-lived bird, and is thought 

 tocompassacenturyof existence when it is living wild and unrestrained 

 in its native laud. Even in captivity it has been known to attain a 

 good old age, one of these birds which lived at Vienna being rather 

 more than a hundred years old when it died. 



One of the most interesting of the predaceous birds which belong 

 to Great Britain is the celebrated Osprey, or Fishing Haw^k. This 

 fine bird was formerly very common in England, but is now but rarely 

 seen within the confines of the British Isles, although isolated species 

 are now and then seen. 



2i T 



