J 00 
THE EAGLE. 
being “ a terror to farmers, from fowls to children,” a reward j 
was granted to the person who should destroy a nest or a bird. 
The story alluded to from the above-mentioned old book # is as 
follows : “Alfred, king of the West Saxons, went out one day a 
hunting, and passing by a certain wood heard, as he supposed, 
the cry of an infant from the top of a tree, and forthwith 
diligently inquiring of the huntsmen wdiat that doleful sound 
could be, commanded one of them to climb the tree, when in 
the top of it was found an Eagle’s nest, and lo ! therein, a 
pretty sweet-faced infant, wrapped up in a purple mantle, 
and upon eacb arm a bracelet of gold, a clear sign that he 
was bom of noble parents. Whereupon the king took charge | 
of him, and caused him to be baptized ; and, because he was 
found in a nest, he gave him the name of Nestingum, and, 
in after time, having nobly educated him, he advanced him 
to the dignity of an earl.” 
In all the above instances of carrying away children, it 
does not appear that the Eagles were able to fly with them 
to any great distance ; but in Ireland a large Eagle was seen 
to alight and take up a Jamb, and carry it away in a straight 
direction towards the high range of the Morne mountains. 
The men who saw it pursued and kept it in view, when at 
length, having in vain attempted to soar upwards to the 
summit of one of the highest mountains, it dropt its burden 
at the edge of a wood, quite unhurt. The distance it had 
flown was judged to be upwards of two miles. 
They frequently attack smaller animals, but often suffer 
severely in consequence, from the struggles of the prisoners 
to escape, and several instances have occurred of their being 
killed by weasels and stoats, which they had incautiously 
pounced upon. One was related by the gamekeeper of 
a Scotch nobleman, who, when out on the moors, observed 
an Eagle rise from the ground with something it had seized 
as its prey. For a time it flew away steadily, when 
suddenly it became evidently much agitated, and after j 
irregularly fluttering for a short time, spired upwards in a 
* Monast. Ang vol. i. 
