278 
BIRDS OF PREY 
eggs are, like those of the buzzard, a whitish ground with brown 
specks or dots. The care of these eggs is left entirely to the mother 
bird. After five weeks the little ones are hatched, and are as homely 
as their parents are stately and beautiful. Very often only one egg is 
hatched, but the parent birds give as much love and care to this one 
little descendant as if it were a whole nest full. Sometimes the old 
birds will travel for hours through the air carrying some hare or 
(heathcock or a young heron captured from a distant eyrie. The 
animal is torn to pieces before the ever-hungry young eaglet and the 
GROUP OF VULTURES 
l bits offered him. His nursery on this account does not present a 
ry inviting appearance.. Legs of rabbits, skulls of birds, hair, 
athers, bones and wool are strewn all about. Sometimes there is a 
erv bright and pleasing side to this place of skulls; little birds, 
especially sparrows, build their nests between the twigs and branch^ 
of the eyrie and I've there quite undisturbed. With this exce^ f; ^~ 
eagle lives alone; one pair never permitting another pair of 
kind ****hin *V*r hunting ground. The fact makes their indulgence 
