24 THE EAGLE. 



both the male and the female exert all their force and industry 

 for the supply of their offspring. Their nest is commonly built 

 in the most inaccessible cliff of the rock, and often shielded from 

 the weather by some projecting crag which overhangs it. 



This noble bird is found in various parts of Europe ; but it 

 abounds chiefly in the warmer regions. It commonly breeds in 

 the mountainous parts of Ireland. It lays three, and sometimes 

 four eggs, of which it seldom happens that more than two are 

 prolific. Mr. Pennant says, that there are instances, though 

 rare, of their having bred in Snowden hills, in Wales. Mr. 

 Wallis, in his Natural History of Northumberland, says, " It for- 

 merly had its aerie in the highest and steepest part of Cheviot." 

 In the month of January, 1735, a very large eagle was shot near 

 Warkworth, which measured from point to point of its wings 

 eleven feet and a quarter. 



This formidable tribe of birds admits of many varieties. In 

 the rear of that which is here described, follow the ring-tailed 

 eagle, the common eagle, the bald eagle, the white eagle, the 

 rough-footed eagle, the black eagle, the ospray, the sea eagle, 

 and the crowned eagle. These, and divers others, form different 

 snades in this ferocious family ; but a particular description of 

 them is unnecessary, as they have all the same general form, the 

 same rapacity, the same habits, and are all remarked for their 

 longevity. The eagle has often been known to live a hundred 

 years ; it is said that it does not even then die of old age or de- 

 bility, but from the beak's turning inwards on the under mandible, 

 which prevents it from taking any food. Its longevity is not, 

 however, more remarkable than its power of supporting long 

 abstinence. An eagle, in the possession of Mr. O. Holland, re- 

 mained, through the carelessness of servants, the space of twenty- 

 one days without any kind of sustenance. But even this is less 

 extraordinary than an instance related by M. BufFon, who was 

 assured, by a person of veracity, that one of these birds being 

 caught in a fox-trap, lived five weeks without any kind of ali- 

 ment. It showed no symptoms of languor till the last eight 

 days ; and it was at last killed, in order to terminate its suffer- 

 ings. When circumstances of this kind happen accidentally, 

 they are worthy of remark ; but to ascertain by experiment how 

 much any animal is able to suffer, would be shocking to hu- 

 manity. 



We have been a little particular in describing the habits and 

 propensities of this chief of the feathered nations; but shall en- 

 deavour to compensate for our prolixity on this interesting sub- 

 ject, by consulting brevity in some of less importance. How- 

 ever, we think we have not erred in giving a just delineation of 

 a bird which has furnished poets and moralists with so many 



