134 THE EAGLE. 



they shine as if covered with a thin coating of clear 

 gum. An anecdote is related by Dr. Richardson*, 

 who accompanied that enterprising traveller, Sir 

 John Franklin, as current on the plains of Saskat- 

 chewan in North America, of a half-bred Indian, 

 who was vaunting his prowess before a band of his 

 countrymen, and wishing to impress them with a 

 belief of his supernatural power. In the midst of 

 his harangue, an Eagle was observed suspended as it 

 were in the air directly over his head; upon which, 

 pointing aloft with his dagger, which glistened 

 brightly in the sun, he called upon the royal bird to 

 come down. To his own amazement, no less than 

 to the consternation of the surrounding Indians, the 

 Eagle seemed to obey the charm, for instantly shoot- 

 ing down with the velocity of an arrow, it impaled 

 itself on the point of his weapon. 



Fierce and savage as these birds usually are, they, 

 notwithstanding, appear in some instances to lay 

 aside these habits, and manifest a kind and protect- 

 ing disposition, particularly towards little birds: thus 

 it has been observed, that an African Eagle (Falco 

 albescens), though it will suffer no bird of any size 

 to come near its haunt, will nevertheless permit 

 small ones not only to reside near it, but even to 

 perch upon its nest without offering them any 

 violence, and still more, will protect them against 

 the attack of other rapacious birds which might be 

 disposed to devour them. The Osprey, or Fishing 

 Eagle of North America (Falco lialiwtus), allows 

 the Grakle, or New England Jackdaw, as it is 

 termed, to take the same liberty, these birds building 



* Richardson's Fauna Americana. 



