THE KING OF THE BIRDS. 135 
the nest itself was in a blaze, and she was 
compelled to abandon it. But she hovered 
over it, and several times flew in and out of 
the flames, until her wings were scorched ; and 
again and again she tried, though in vain, to 
save her little one. 
There is a beautiful allusion in the Bible to 
the eagle's care for her young : As an eagle 
stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, 
spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, 
beareth them on her wings, so the Lord alone 
did lead them/' 
When the young eagles are ready to leave 
the nest, the parent birds teach them to fly 
by making small circles in the air at midday, 
rising toward the sun. The young birds 
imitate them ; and the old ones pause upon 
the wing, until the young ones have accom- 
plished their first flight. They then make 
a second and a wider circle, mounting higher, 
and getting nearer and nearer to the sun. 
The young ones follow them, and fly stronger 
and better as they rise; until at length they 
look like tiny specks, and indeed wholly 
disappear. 
The young eaglets fare sumptuously so long 
