126 THE EAGLE. 



in the air, they will distinguish fish swimming near 

 the surface, and shooting down with the speed and 

 straightness of an arrow's course, will plunge into the 

 water and seize them with their talons. Often, how- 

 ever, they have 110 reason to boast of their success, for 

 when carrying off their prize, a larger Eagle, generally 

 on the look out, gives chase, arid forces them to drop 

 the fish, which the other catches before it reaches 

 the water. This larger bird, however, is himself 

 sometimes made prisoner by the singular mode he 

 practises of providing for his meals; the following 

 is not the only instance with which we are ac- 

 quainted, but as it is sanctioned by the authority of 

 a respectable Scotch clergyman, we give it at full 

 length, in preference to others we have met with. 

 The anecdote is told of the Erne, or \Yhite-headed 

 Eagle. A halibut, a large flat-fish, resembling a 

 turbot, reposing on or near the surface of the water, 

 was perceived by an Erne, which immediately 

 pounced down and struck his talons into the fish 

 with all his force. Should the halibut be too 

 strong, the Eagle it is said is sometimes, but rarely, 

 drowned in the struggle. In this case, however, as 

 more frequently happens, he overcame the fish; on 

 which he remained as if floating on a raft, and then 

 spreading out his wide wings, he made use of them 

 as sails, and was driven by the wind towards the 

 shore. On landing, their first object is to disengage 

 their claws by eating the flesh in which they are 

 buried, but before the Erne, of which we are speak- 

 ing, could effect this, some lookers on rushed inland 

 took him alive. 



The Yulture, too, floats on a prey of a very diffe- 



