128 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



219. The nest of the Eagle is made of sticks, twigs, 

 etc., and is generally on the ledge of some precipice, as 

 seen in Fig. 106. In "The Land and the Book" of 



Fig. lOe.— Eagle and Nest 



Thomson, he describes very graphically the return of the 

 Eagle to its nest. After making-severnl gyrations, it 

 poises for a moment, and-t^i^j^lijke a bolt, with wings 

 collapsed, down it comes head foremost, and, sinking far 

 below its eyrie, if rounds to in a grand parabola, and 

 then, with one or two backward flaps of its huge pinions, 

 like the wheels of a steam-boat reversed, it lands in safe- 

 ty among its clamorous children." The food of this bird 

 consists of sea-birds, the smaller quadrupeds, as hares, 

 rabbits, etc., and sometimes lambs, sheep, and even larger 



