Natural History of Ireland. 45 



was accompanied by two others, which were also attempted to be 

 taken, but unsuccessfully. 



By Dr McDonnell, and another elderly friend, both of whom well 

 recollect the circumstance, I have been told that the same plan 

 adopted by the Kerry peasant for supporting his family in a season 

 of scarcity,* was successfully resorted to about thirty years ago at 

 GlenarifF, in the county Antrim. One of a pair of eaglets taken 

 from a nest there, was so placed, that during the summer its parents 

 supplied it with rabbits and hares in such abundance, that its owner 

 obtained a sufficiency of animal food besides for himself and family. 

 The old birds did not alight with their prey, but circling for some 

 time above the eaglet, apparently until certain that the food would 

 fall to the ground within its reach, then let it drop. 



A sporting friend who was eye-witness to the fact, assures me 

 that when out hunting among the Belfast mountains many years 

 ago, an eagle, which from the darkness of its plumage he concluded 

 was the golden, appeared above his hounds as they came to fault on 

 the ascent to Devis, (the highest of the chain,) after a good chase. 

 As they came on the scent again, and were at full cry, the eagle for 

 a short time kept above them, but at length advanced, and carried 

 off the hare when at the distance of from three to four hundred paces 

 before the hounds. 



In the two excellent works, " Gardens and Menageries of the 

 Zoological Society," and " Illustrations of British Ornithology," the 

 golden eagle is characterized as indocile : in the latter, Mr Selby 

 speaks from his own experience of two individuals which were kept 

 by him for some years. But my friend Richard Langtry, Esq. of 

 Fortwilliam, near Belfast, has at present a bird of this species, 

 which is extremely docile and tractable. It was taken last summer 

 from a nest in Inverness-shire, and came into his possession about 

 the end of September. This bird at once became attached to its 

 owner, who, after having it about a month, ventured to give it li- 

 berty, a privilege which was not in the eagle's part abused, as it 

 came to the lure whenever called. It not only permits itself to be 

 handled in any way, but seems to derive pleasure from the applica- 

 tion of the hand to its legs and plumage. This eagle was hooded 

 after the manner of the hunting hawks for some time, but the prac- 

 tice was abandoned, and although it may yet be requisite if the bird 

 be trained for the chase, hooding is otherwise unnecessary, as it re- 

 mains quiet and contented for any length of time, and no matter 



* Smith's Kerry, p. 97- 



