AN EVENING WITH THE TELESCOPE. 119 



being an eagle. Perhaps he had been duly instructed in 

 the semi-fabulous stories of children being borne away by 

 eagles ; probably he was also acquainted with the adven- 

 tures of Sinbad the Sailor and the Roc ; at all events, 

 we made our way to where there was a large cage con- 



Fig. 10. Saturn and his Rings. 



taining several fine sea eagles. I awaited his rapturous 

 delight, but in vain. I saw the poor little fellow assume 

 a crestfallen aspect. " They are so small," was all he 

 said, but I could easily divine that he had expected to 

 see something about twenty feet high, and that one of 

 his pretty childish idols had been smashed to pieces. 



