GOLDEN EAGLE. 85 



THE GOLDEN EAGLE. 



BIRDS of the Eagle kind, of which there are several 

 distinct species, in the Linnoen 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 earning a precarious subsist- 

 ence), than to sacrifice their safety to their appetites. 



The Eagle is among birds what the lion is among 

 quadrupeds: 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; and rejects what it has 

 not acquired by its own industry and prowess. However 

 craving his appetites, he never stoops to feed on carrion ; 

 and when once satiated, never returns a second time to 

 satisfy his hunger on the same carcase. He is proud, and 

 indignant under restraint ; yet is capable with kind usage 

 of being tamed, and has been known to evince no small 

 share of attachment to his keeper. 



The. Eagle soars the highest of all the feathered tribe, 

 and hence has been emphatically denominated the bird of 

 heaven : his eye is so strong that he can look undazzled 

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

 that of the vulture. Though very vigorous when on the 

 wing, he 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 his rapacity ; a circumstance, the 

 observation of which probably gave rise to the fable of 

 Ganymede having been snatched up to heaven by an 

 Eagle. 



The GOLDEN EAGLE is the noblest and largest of the Eagle 

 kind, being about three feet long, and the expansion of 

 its wings upwards of seven feet. The head and neck are 

 covered with narrow, sharp-pointed, dark-brown feathers, 

 edged with tawny ; the whole body is a dark brown, the 

 plumage on the back being delightfully shaded with a 

 deeper tinge of the same colour. The legs are feathered 

 down to the very feet, and the toes are armed with formid- 

 able claws. 



This species is found in the mountainous parts of 

 Ireland, and generally breeds in the loftiest cliffs. 



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