126 
THE EAGLE. 
which they do with bullets (Swan-shot not being 
able to penetrate their feathers), prevented it. 
As the Eagles kept what might he called such an 
excellent store-house, whenever visiters came unex- 
pectedly, the owner said that he was in the frequent 
habit of sending his servants, to see what his neigh- 
bours the birds had to spare ; and that they scarcely 
ever returned without some dainty dishes for his 
table, game of all kinds being rather the better than 
the worse for being kept a certain time. When the 
gentleman or his servants carried off things from the 
shelf or table near the nest, (for it was a work of great 
hazard to approach the nest itself,) the Eagles lost no 
time in bringing another supply; but when they did 
not take them away, the old ones loitered about, and 
were very inactive, amusing themselves with their 
young, till the stock of food had nearly come to an 
end. 
While the hen Eagle was hatching, the table or 
shelf on the rock was generally kept well furnished 
for her use ; and when she was in that state, or the 
Eaglets very young, the male-bird generally tore a 
wing from the fowls for her, or a leg from the animals 
captured. These Eagles, as is generally the case 
with birds that are not gregarious, that is, which do 
not live together, or assemble in flocks, were faithful 
to each other, and would not permit even their young 
after they had grown up to build a nest, or live near 
them, but drove them off to a considerable distance. 
This gentleman did not learn whether these Eagles 
were in the habit of sparing lambs, kids, &c., in 
their own immediate neighbourhood, which it has 
been said they do in some places. Thus, in the 
