RING-TAILED EAGLE. 73 



what be had procured, before it was brought to 

 table. On perceiving the increased surprise of 

 his guests, he informed them that in the mountain- 

 ous regions of that district the Eagles were ac- 

 customed to build their eyries among the almost 

 inaccessible rocks, which can only be ascended 

 with ladders and grappling-irons. The peasants 

 however, when they have discovered a nest, raise a 

 little hut at the foot of a rock, in which they screen 

 themselves from the fury of the birds when they 

 convey provision to their young, which the male 

 carefully nourishes for the space of three months, 

 and the female continues the employment till the 

 young are capable of quitting the eyiy. While 

 the young continue in the eyry, the parents 

 ravage all the country, and convey to the nest 

 Capons, Chickens, Ducks, Lambs, Kids, Pigs, &c. 

 but the fields and woods supply them with the 

 choicest game, for from thence they seize Pheasants, 

 Partridges, Woodcocks, Wild-Ducks, Hares, and 

 young Fawns. When therefore the shepherds per- 

 ceive that the Eagles have left the eyry, they plant 

 their ladders, climb the rocks, and carry off what 

 the Eagles have conveyed to the young ; leaving 

 instead the entrails of animals or other offal ; but 

 as this cannot be done so expeditiously as to pre- 

 vent the young Eagles from devouring a part of 

 what has been brought them, it follows that it is 

 generally mutilated; in recompence however for 

 this disadvantage, it has a much finer flavour than 

 any thing the markets can afford. He added, 

 that when the young Eagle has acquired strength 



