Class II. GOLDEN EAGLE. 201 



still more exquisite. If hooded crows or ravens 

 happen to be nearer the carrion and resort to it 

 first, and give a single croak, the eagle, if there 

 is one in any part of the neighborhood, is cer- 

 tain of instantly repairing to the spot. 



Eagles are remarkable for their longevity, and Longevity. 

 for their power of sustaining a long abstinence 

 from food. Mr. Keysler relates that an eagle 

 died at Vienna after a confinement of 104 years. 

 This pre-eminent length of days probably gave 

 occasion to the saying of the Psalmist, thy 

 youth is renewed like the eagle's. One of this 

 species, which was nine years in the possession 

 of Owen Holland esq. of Conwy, lived thirty-two 

 years with the gentleman who made him a pre- 

 sent of it; but what its age was when the latter 

 received it from Ireland is unknown. The same 

 bird also furnishes a proof of the truth of the 

 other remark, having once, through the neglect 

 of servants, endured hunger for twenty-one 

 days, without any sustenance whatsoever. 



" The golden eagle is not uncommon in 

 Russia* where it is said to be used in falconry, 

 for the purpose of taking wolves, fox^s, and an- 

 telopes. It is seldom killed in England. One 

 was shot at Yarmouth in 1783, the extent of 

 which was reported to be twelve feet. Mr. 



* Decouvertes Russes. iii. 127. 



