11)8 



requisitiou. Then the true nature of the eagle was 

 seen. The eves, before bright, now shone like balls of 

 fire, the crest feathers standing up; his voice, before 

 hushed, now added discord to the dying yells of his 

 struggling victim, so inextricably fixed in his relent- 

 less talons. He could kill a cat in from two to five 

 minutes. 



VS^OULD SEIZE GRIMALKIN J3Y NECK AND BACK. 



Commonly, the eagle would grasp the cat around the 

 small of the back with one foot and with the other he 

 encircled the neck, thus retaining his hold until the 

 animal had ceased its struggles, which were soon over, 

 as they were greatly augmented by fright and exces- 

 sive violence of action. When the cat became quiet 

 the eagle would raise his wings, which he had allowed 

 to drop, draw his body up as high as possible from his 

 prey, and proceed leisurely to tear off the skin from 

 his captive's back and side, exposing the muscles and 

 viscera, which he ate. 



FOOD OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE. 



Golden Eagles are rather rare in this State, hence 

 their depredations to poultry, game and live stock 

 occasion comparatively little loss within our State's 

 boundaries. Domestic fowls, ducks and turkeys es- 

 pecially, are often devoured; different species of water 

 birds, grouse and wild turkeys suffer chiefly among the 

 game birds. Fawns are sometimes attacked and 

 killed; occasionally it destroys young pigs, and fre- 

 quently many lambs are carried off by this eagle. 

 Many rabbits are preyed upon; in this State, the Vary- 

 ing Hare and common Gray Rabbit or "cotton-tail" 

 form a portion of its menu. 



Last winter a farmer residing near Harrisburg, shot 



