CHAPTER IV. 



Habits of Animals — The Brotherhood of Friends of Truth — Goodsir 

 returns to Edinburgh — The rising Men of the Medical School — 

 Reidj Simpson, Barry, etc. — Goodsir's Appearance and General 

 Character — His co-operation with Edward Forbes. 



The habits of animals, from the polype to the ape, were 

 a special delight of Goodsir's. A golden eagle was 

 obtained from the Orkneys, and suitably caged at 

 Anstruther in 1838. It was a sight to watch this noble 

 bird kill its prey ; as dead meat or carrion failed to 

 preserve the beauty and grandeur of its plumage, the 

 villagers were pleased to bring live animals for the 

 purpose of seeing the eagle fed. Goodsir used to 

 describe what took place when a cat was thrown into 

 the eagle's cage : the fiercest feline was at once cowed ; 

 the eagle, perched in regal dignity, first cast a glance 

 at its prey, then suddenly pounced upon the cat, 

 striking the back with the talons of one foot, and 

 paralysing the body below the stroke, and as the head 

 of the feline was raised, it was at once enclosed within 

 the talons of the other foot and crushed in a similar 

 fashion, causing immediate death. Homer's description 

 would well apply — 



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Iliad, wii. 677 



