436 AVES— EAGLE. 



of its attachment ; the innate pride, and love of liberty, still prompt it to 

 regain its native solitudes ; and the moment the falconer sees it, when let 

 loose, first stoop towards the ground, and then rise perpendicularly into the 

 clouds, he gives up all his former labor for lost; quite sure of never beholding 

 his late prisoner more. Sometimes, however, they are brought to have an 

 attachment for their feeder ; they are then highly serviceable, and liberally pro- 

 vide for his pleasures and support. When the falconer lets them go from 

 his hand, they play about and hover round him till their game presents, 

 which they see at an immense distance, and pursue with certain destruction. 

 They have, however, never been used in European falconry. It is only in 

 the east that they have been so employed. 



Of all animals the eagle flies highest, and on this account he was called 

 by the ancients the Bird of Jove. When M. Ramond ascended Mont Perdu, 

 in the Pyrenees, nearly three miles above the level of the sea, he saw a 

 golden eagle far above him, dashing rapidly to windward against a strong 

 gale. Of all birds, also, the eagle has the quickest eye ; but his sense of 

 smelling is far inferior to that of the vulture. He never pursues, therefore, 

 but in sight ; and when he has seized his prey, he stoops from his height, 

 as if to examine its weight, always laying it on the ground before he carries 

 it off. As his wing is very powerful, yet, as he has but little suppleness in 

 the joints of the leg, he finds it difficult to rise Avhen down ; however, if not 

 instantly pursued, he finds no difficulty in carrying off geese and cranes. 

 He also carries away hares, lambs, and kids ; and often destroys fawns and 

 calves, to drink their blood, and carries a part of their flesh to his retreat. 

 Infants themselves, when left unattended, have been destroyed by these 

 rapacious creatures ; which probably gave rise to the fable of Ganymede's 

 being snatched up by an eagle to heaven. 



An instance is recorded in Scotland of two children being carried off by 

 eagles ; but fortunately they received no hurt by the way ; and, the eagles 

 being pursued, the children were restored unhurt out of the nests to the 

 affrighted parents. 



The eagle is thus at all times a formidable neighbor; but peculiarly so 

 when bringing up its young. It is then that the female, as well as the male, 

 exert all their forc'e and industry to supply their young. Smith, in his 

 History of Kerry, relates, that a poor man in that country got a comfortable 

 subsistence for his family, during a summer of famine, out of an eagle's 

 nest, by robbing the eaglets of food, Avhich were plentifully supplied by the 

 old ones. He protracted their assiduity beyond the usual time, by clipping 

 the wings, and retarding the flight of the young. 



It happened some time ago, in the same country, that a peasant resolved 

 to rob the nest of an eagle, that had built in a small island, in the beautiful 

 lake of Killarney. He accordingly stripped and swam in upon the island, 

 while the old ones Avere away; and, robbing the nest of its young, he was 

 preparing to swim back, with the eaglets tied in a string ; but, while he was 



