The Zoologist— December, 1867. 1005 



and the mountain sides of Pendle and the barren tract of Bowland, 

 was destroyed in 1805. 



H. W. Feilden. 

 Pleasington, Blackburn. 



Notes on the Folk-lore of Zoology. By Edward R. Alston, Esq. 

 (Continued from Zool. S. S. 979.) 



II. Birds. 



Many of the popular superstitions and beliefs regarding this class 

 have been noticed by Mr. Halting, in his excellent papers on " The 

 Birds of Shakspeare," to which I will from time to time refer. 



Eagle. — The eagle, in southern poetry and fable, is the bird of the 

 gods, the one that soars nearest to the sun, the only creature that can 

 brook the mid- day ray with unveiled eye (Harting, Zool. S. S. 355, 393). 

 But in the northern myths he is hardly treated with so much respect 

 (perhaps because he is better known, if it be not treason to say so) ; 

 there the bold falcon is the favourite of heaven, while the larger and 

 more sluggish eagle is associated with the giants, and is a common 

 form for those foes of the gods to assume. Under the name of 

 Hrafwelgr (corpse-devourer), he is also the emblem of the wind, but 

 in one or two instances is assigned to Odin as a companion (Simrock). 

 According to Loyd and other writers, the northern peasants relate that 

 the golden eagle destroys deer and other large animals by the following 

 ingenious device: — they soak their wings in water, cover them with 

 sand, and then swoop against the heads of their victims, which, being 

 thus blinded and wild with paiu, are then easily driven over the 

 nearest precipice. 



Falcons and Haioks. — The northern gods, as already stated, loved 

 the noble falcon, and often took his shape, or at least assumed his 

 pinions when on a journey (Simrock). In mediaeval romance and 

 ballad the good knight's falcon not unfrequently plays the part of a 

 carrier-pigeon, and is sometimes gifted with the power of song and 

 even of speech. Thus, in the fine old Scotch ballad of "My Gay 

 Goshawk," the hero sings — 



" But weel's me on ye, my gay gosshawk, 

 Ye can baitb speak and flee, 

 Ye sliall bring a letter to my love — 

 Bring an answer back to me. 



