THE EAGLE. 127 



rent description. In the rivers of the East, says a 

 traveller 1 ", one is constantly shocked with the sight 

 of a floating corpse, with a Vulture perched upon it, 

 and expanding its wings to cause it to land, that it 

 may devour its horrid meal in leisure. 



From what has been said, it will he readily 

 believed, that they are most voracious in their appe- 

 tites. These large fish-eaters have been known to 

 consume a bucket- ful a day; and, as if aware at the 

 same time of the uncertainty of always ensuring a 

 supply, particularly when they have, in addition to 

 their own wants, their young to provide for, they 

 are in the habit of collecting an overabundance on 

 the high rocks where their nests are situated, so as 

 to have an ample stock in hand. And so well 

 aware are the North American Indians of these 

 stores, that an Eagle's nest is familiarly called an 

 Indian's larder; from which the wild hunters can 

 readily supply themselves, at least during the breed- 

 ing and rearing season, from May to September, 

 with a plentiful store of hares, ducks, and geese, 

 besides fisht. 



In England, though large Eagles are now very 

 rare, naturalists have met with similar instances. 

 Mr. Willoughby, an excellent authority, mentions a 

 nest which he saw in the woodlands, near the river 

 Derwent, in the Peak of Derbyshire, about 150 

 years ago ; he described it as about two yards square, 

 formed of great sticks, resting one end on the ledge 

 of a rock, and the other on two birch-trees, upon 

 which was a layer of rushes, and over them a layer 



* Transatlantic Sketches, Vol. II. 

 j- Hearne's Journey* 



