100 THE EAGLE. 



being " a terror to farmers, from fowls to children," a reward 

 was granted to the person who should destroy a nest or a hird. 

 The story alluded to from the above-mentioned old book* is as 

 follows: " Alfred, king of the West Saxons, went out one day a 

 hunting, and passing by a certain wood heard, as he supposed, 

 the cry of an infant from the top of a tree, and forthwith 

 diligently inquiring of the huntsmen what that doleful sound 

 could be, commanded one of them to climb the tree, when in 

 the top of it was found an Eagle's nest, and lo ! therein, a 

 pretty sweet-faced infant, wrapped up in a purple mantle, 

 and upon each arm a bracelet of gold, a clear sign that he 

 was born of noble parents. Whereupon the king took charge 

 of him, and caused him to be baptized ; and, because he was 

 found in a nest, he gave him the name of Nestingum, and, 

 in after time, having nobly educated him, he advanced him 

 to the dignity of an earl." 



In all the above instances of carrying away children, it 

 does not appear that the Eagles were able to fly with them 

 to any great distance ; but in Ireland a large Eagle was seen 

 to alight and take up a lamb, and carry it away in a straight 

 direction towards the high range of the Morne mountains. 

 The men who saw it pursued and kept it in view, when at 

 length, having in vain attempted to soar upwards to the 

 summit of one of the highest mountains, it dropt its burden 

 at the edge of a wood, quite unhurt. The distance it had 

 flown was judged to be upwards of two miles. 



They frequently attack smaller animals, but often suffer 

 severely in consequence, from the struggles of the prisoners 

 to escape, and several instances have occurred of their being 

 killed by weazels and stoats, which they had incautiously 

 pounced upon. One was related by the gamekeeper of 

 a Scotch nobleman, who, when out on the moors, observed 

 an Eagle rise from the ground with something it had seized 

 as its prey. For a time it flew away steadily, when 

 suddenly it became evidently much agitated, and after 

 irregularly fluttering for a short time, spired upwards in a 



* Monast. Aug. vol. i. 



