30 THE ENSIGN OF THE EAGLE. 



cording to Mr. G. Dennis, in his " Handbook of Sicily," 

 (p. 349) ; and he mentions this ensign as " a Roman 

 legionary eagle in excellent preservation." 



From the second century before Christ, the eagle is said 

 to have become the sole military ensign, and it was mostly 

 small in size, because Florus (lib. 4, cap. 12) relates that 

 an ensign-bearer, in the wars of Julius Caesar, in order to 

 prevent the enemy from taking it, pulled off the eagle 

 from the top of the gilt pole, and hid it by placing it 

 under cover of his belt. 



In later times, the eagle was borne with the legion, 

 which, indeed, occasionally took its name, " aquila.? This 

 eagle, which was also adopted by the Roman emperors 

 for their imperial symbol, is considered to be the Aquila 

 heliaca of Savigny (imperialis of Temminck), and resembles 

 our golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos, in plumage, though 

 of a darker brown, and with more or less white on the 

 scapulars. It differs also in the structure of the foot. It 

 inhabits Southern Europe, North Africa, Palestine, and 

 India. Living examples of this species may be seen at 

 the present time in the Gardens of the Zoological Society. 



Sicilius, in Cymbeline (Act v. Sc. 4), speaking of the 

 apparition and descent of Jupiter, who was seated upon 

 an eagle, says, 



" The holy eagle 



Stoop'd, as to foot us : his ascension is 

 More sweet than our blest fields : his royal bird 



