382 
EAGLE. 
for the space of three months, and the female is 
engaged in the same employment, till the bird is 
capable of quitting the aerie ; but when that period 
is completed, they make him spring into the air, 
and bear him up with their wings and talons when 
he is in danger of falling. Whilst the young eagle 
continues in the aerie, the parents ravage all the 
neighbouring country; capons, chickens, ducks, 
lambs, kids, and pigs, suffer on this occasion ; they 
seize whatever falls in their way, and bear it to their 
young. But the fields and woods supply them with 
their best game ; for there they destroy pheasants, 
partridges, woodcocks, wild ducks, hares, and young 
fawns. The shepherds, at the very instant they 
perceive the old birds have left their aerie, plant their 
ladders and climb the rocks as well as they are able, 
and then carry off what the eagles have conveyed to 
their offspring, and in the room of what they take 
leave the entrails of certain animals. But as this 
cannot be done so expeditiously as to prevent the 
young eagle from devouring part of their food, the 
shepherds must necessarily bring away what has 
been already mutilated ; but in recompense for this 
disadvantage, what they thus take has a much finer 
flavour than any thing the markets afford. The 
gentleman added, that when the young eagle has 
strength enough to fly, which requires a considerable 
time to attain, because he is deprived of an excel- 
lent food and obliged to take up with what is very 
indifferent, the shepherds fasten him to the aerie, 
that the parent birds may continue to supply him 
