234 The Animal-Lore of ShaTcspeare’s Time. 
and contains a nucleus. The story goes that the female 
eagle takes up this stone into her nest, while she is 
sitting, to prevent her eggs from becoming addled. The 
corrosive quality of the eagle’s feathers is mentioned by 
other writers. Du Bartas writes :— 
“ And so the princely eagles ravening plumes 
The feathers of all other fowls consumes.” 
(Page 96.) 
In heraldry the eagle ranks next in popularity to the 
lion as a charge. It is portrayed in different attitudes, 
and with a varying number of heads. It is occasionally 
blazoned without either beak or legs; then it is termed 
an allerion. According to the chroniclers, Godfrey of 
Boulogne, Duke of Lorraine, during the siege of Jerusalem 
shot three of these footless birds with an arrow. In honour 
of that exploit three allerions upon a bend are borne in 
commemoration by the Dukes of Lorraine to the present 
day. “ It is perfectly evident,” observes Mr. Blanche, in 
commenting on this legend, “ that the narrator was the 
party who drew the long bow, and not the noble Godfrey.” 
The similarity of the two names, Lorraine and Allerion, 
probably gave rise to the story. 
Ben Jonson does not often mention the eagle. He 
says, in one play :— 
“ Every stoop lie made 
Was like an eagle’s at a flight of cranes: 
As I have read somewhere.” 
(The Neiv Inn, iv. 3.) 
Shakspeare, on the contrary, though probably like 
Jonson he drew his knowledge of this “ royal bird ” from 
description, or from some tame specimens in the “ costly 
aviaries ” mentioned by Harrison, has frequent references 
to its power of flight, strength of vision, longevity, and 
other qualities, all which may be found noticed in Mr. 
Harting’s volume. 
