THE GOLDEN EAGLE. 133 



large size, being very ferocious, and dropping addled eggs 

 occasionally on the mountain tops ; but the tale wants verifi- 

 cation. 



The eagle generally strikes her prey upon the ground, and 

 the stoop is almost instantly fatal to any animal on which 

 she pounces. The mere fall of a body of twelve or even 

 eighteen pounds in weight, from an elevation of 1500 or 

 2000 feet would be powerful; but the eagle shoots down 

 with a great initial velocity, and as she delivers the whole 

 of her momentum with the claw, she not only dashes the 

 animal to the earth, but plunges the claw into its body up 

 to the toe, dislocating the spine or breaking the skull of the 

 feebler quadrupeds, such as hares; and the death of grous 

 and black-game, which form a very large portion of the prey, 

 is instantaneous. The view upon which the eagle proceeds 

 must be a steady one, for on the ground she seldom misses 

 her pounce, though she often does when she attempts to hawk 

 on the wing, as her broad wings and forward rush are both 

 unfavourable to turning so as to follow the motions of the 

 bird. If the prey is small, she has the power of slackening 

 her speed as she descends, so as to temper the ultimate effect 

 to the necessity there is for it ; otherwise, strong as she is, 

 she might be injured by the collision with the ground. An 

 unrestrained stoop from her greatest height would be suffi- 

 cient to dash even an eagle to pieces. If the pounce is not 

 fatal, the clutch instantly follows, in the giving of which the 

 whole weight of the bird in the utmost excitement, with 

 the head elevated, the neck stiff, the feathers of the head and 

 neck erected, and the wings shivering so as to keep the 

 pressure on the instruments of death is upon the claws. 

 With small animals, even when they show signs of life after 

 the pounce, the clutch is given with one foot only, and the 

 bird is less excited; but in no case is the prey touched with 

 the beak, or even looked at, until all motion in it has ceased. 



