EAGLES' NESTS. 99 



offspriBg, two young birds, the maneuvers of flight. 

 They began by rising from the mountain in the eye 

 of the sun. 



" It was about midday, and bright for this climate. 

 They at first made small circles, and the small birds 

 imitated them. The older birds paused on their wings, 

 waiting until their children had completed their 

 flight, and then they took a second and larger circle, 

 always rising toward the sun and enlarging their 

 circle of flight, so as to make a gradually ascending 

 spiral. The young ones slowly followed, apparently 

 flying better as they mounted ; and they continued 

 this exercise until they became mere points in the 

 air, and the young ones were lost, and afterward the 

 parents, to our aching sight." 



Eagles do not have difEerent mates every season, 

 as do birds generally ; they pair for life, and some- 

 times occupy the same nest for many years. 



But though faithful to their young and to each 

 other, eagles are tyrants and robbers to all other 

 birds. Not only do they prey upon birds and animals 

 smaller and weaker than themselves, but they rob 

 other birds of their prey. Sitting upon some lofty 

 crag or tree, the eagle watches the birds flying above 

 the waters of some lake or sea. High above all soars 

 the fishhawk. As the eagle catches sight of him 

 his flerce eyes flash, and balancing himself upon his 

 perch he half opens his wings to be ready for instant 

 flight. Down, swift as an arrow, plunges the bird he 

 watches into the water, from which he appeai-s with 

 a struggling fish in his beak, which he is about to 



