THE EAGLE. 129 



which they do with hullets (Swan-shot not being 

 able to penetrate their feathers), prevented it. 



As the Eagles kept what might be called such an 

 excellent store-house, whenever visiters came unex- 

 pectedly, the owner said that he was in the frequent 

 habit of sending his servants, to see what his neigh- 

 bours the birds had to spare; and that they scarcely 

 ever returned without some dainty dishes for his 

 table, game of all kinds being rather the better than 

 the worse for being kept a certain time. "When the 

 gentleman or his servants carried off things from the 

 shelf or table near the nest, (for it was a work of great 

 hazard to approach the nest itself,) the Eagles lost no 

 time in bringing another supply; but when they did 

 not take them away, the old ones loitered about, and 

 were very inactive, amusing themselves with their 

 young, till the stock of food had nearly come to an 

 end. 



While the hen Eagle was hatching, the table or 

 shelf on the rock was generally kept well furnished 

 for her use; and when she was in that state, or the 

 Eaglets very young, the male-bird generally tore a 

 wing from the fowls for her, or a leg from the animals 

 captured. These Eagles, as is generally the case 

 with birds that are not gregarious, that is, which do 

 not live together, or assemble in flocks, were faithful 

 to each other, and would not permit even their young 

 after they had grown up to build a nest, or live near 

 them, but drove them off to a considerable distance. 

 This gentleman did not learn whether these Eagles 

 were in the habit of sparing lambs, kids, &c., in 

 their own immediate neighbourhood, which it has 

 been said they do in some places. Thus, in the 



VOL. I. K 



