108 THE EAGLE. 



At the same moment, the young birds, as if aware of some 

 danger, shrunk back, and buried themselves in the chink of 

 the rock ; and, as further waiting would have been unavailing, 

 the observers went to the bottom of the precipice, and picked 

 up the fish that had fallen ; it proved to be a sort of large 

 perch, weighing about five pounds and a half; the upper part 

 of the head was broken in, and the back much torn by the 

 talons of the Eagle. The sport being over, as they journeyed 

 home, they agreed to return, and endeavour to procure, dead 

 or alive, both the old and young birds. 



Accordingly, on the third day following, they assembled 

 with some additional hands, well provided with guns, and 

 materials for ensuring success, and proceeded to post them- 

 selves, some at the foot and some at the top of the rock ; but 

 all in vain. The eagles had been beforehand, and proved too 

 cunning for them. The young birds had disappeared, and 

 they passed the whole day without seeing or hearing anything 

 of either them or the old ones. It appeared from their obser- 

 vations, that the old ones had actually removed their young 

 to fresh quarters, but as they did not seem sufficiently grown 

 to use their wings, how they could accomplish such a removal 

 was a mystery not to be solved. 



Two years afterwards, the same person was fortunate 

 enough to shoot one dead on the spot, as it sat upon a low 

 tree, attracted, as was supposed, by the scent of some slaugh- 

 tered hogs. The bird in this case seemed to be perfectly fear- 

 less, not only allowing the sportsman to approach within easy 

 gunshot distance, but looking at him all the time with an 

 undaunted eye. 



Having had, since first seeing one of this species, other 

 opportunities of observing their habits, he has given some 

 very interesting details. In its flight it differs from another 

 sort of Eagle for which it is often taken. When looking after 

 fish in the water below, it makes very wide circles, and when 

 it sees one, it falls gradually in a circuitous, spiral manner, as 

 if with an intention of checking any retreating movement of 

 its prey. When within a few yards, however, it darts down 

 like a shot, and seldom misses its object. As it is so con- 



