CLEMENCY OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE . 
29 
spot for a few days, and then returns with a new mate. As the rabbits and hares are gener- 
ally under cover during the day, the Eagle is forced to drive them from their place of conceal- 
ment, and manages the matter in a very clever and sportsmanlike manner. One of the Eagles 
conceals itself near the cover which is to be beaten, and its companion then dashes among the 
bushes, screaming and making such a disturbance that the terrified inmates rush out in hopes 
of escape, and are immediately pounced upon by the watchful confederate. 
The prey is immediately taken to the nest, and distributed to the young, if there should 
be any eaglets in the lofty cradle. It is a rather remarkable fact, that whereas the vultures 
feed their young by disgorging the food which they have taken into their crops, the Eagles 
carry the prey to their nests, and there tear it to pieces, and feed the eaglets with the morsels. 
When in pursuit of its prey it is a most audacious bird, having been seen to carry off a 
hare from before the noses of the hounds. It is a keen fisherman, catching and securing 
salmon and various sea-fish with singular skill. Sometimes it has met with more than its 
match, and has seized upon a fish that was too heavy for its powers, thus falling a victim to 
its sporting propensities. Mr. Lloyd mentions several instances where Eagles have been 
drowned by pouncing upon large pike, which carried their assailants under water, and fairly 
drowned them. In more than one instance the feet of an Eagle have been seen firmly clenched 
in the pike’s back, the body of the bird having decayed and fallen away. 
It is a terrible fighter when wounded or attacked, as may be seen by the following anec- 
dote, which is related by Mr. Watters in his “Natural History of the Birds of Ireland.” 
“ An Eagle was at one time captured in the county Meath by a gamekeeper, who, surpris- 
ing the bird sleeping after a surfeit on a dead sheep in the neighborhood, conceived the idea 
of taking him alive, and for that purpose approached noiselessly, and clasped the bird in his 
arms. The Eagle recovering, and unable to use his wings, clutched with his talons, one of 
which entered the man’ s chest, the hind claw meeting the others underneath the flesh. The 
man, unable to disengage the claw, strangled the bird, but the talons were yet too firmly 
clutched to open. Taking out his knife, he severed the leg from the body, and walked with 
the penetrating member to the village dispensary to have it removed.” 
The same writer was acquainted with a tame Eagle which displayed a great fondness for 
the flesh of cats, a taste which seems inherent in the Eagle nature, and to have been noticed 
in every specimen of tame Eagles. In every case, as soon as an irritated cat came within 
reach, the Eagle would pounce upon it, seize it in his talons, and with one gripe destroy its 
life so effectually that the poor animal never had time even to cry out. The bird indulged 
this cat-eating taste to such an extent that he caused sad havoc among the feline tribe, and 
was forced at last to go into exile. 
Many anecdotes of tame Golden Eagles are on record, but as they are already familiar to 
the public, I shall make no mention of them. The following account, however, has never 
before been written, and as it displays a curious trait of character in the Eagle, is worthy of 
insertion. 
A Golden Eagle had been captured in Scotland, and being very tame, always accompanied 
the family to which it belonged in all their journeys. For some time it lived near Clifton, 
where it passed its existence fastened to a post by a tolerably long chain, that allowed it a 
reasonable freedom of motion. Like other tame Eagles, she — for it was of the feminine sex — 
would persist in killing cats if they came within reach, although her ordinary food was fowls, 
rabbits, and similar articles of diet. On one occasion, a sickly, pining chicken, which seemed 
in a very bad state of health, was given to the Eagle. The royal bird, however, refused to eat 
it, but seemed to be struck with pity at its miserable state, and took it under her protection. 
She even made it sit under her wing, which she extended as a shield, and once when a man 
unkindly endeavored to take her protege away, she attacked him fiercely, injuring his leg 
severely, and drove him fairly off her premises. She several times built a rude nest, but never 
laid an egg. 
There is no doubt but that this beautiful bird might be tamed as readily as the falcon, 
and trained in a similar manner to fly at game. Indeed, such instances are not wanting both 
in ancient and modem times. The old hawking authorities did not place much value on 
