12 
GAUKRODGER, The lfay of an Boyle. [ 
Tin* 'A mu 
1st July 
so. many other reasons that would account for mortalities in 
iambs. 
On one occasion some- visitors coming to Alice Downs told 
me I should get busy with strychnine baits, as the Eagles were 
killing the lambs; they said that a few miles back they had seen 
evidence showing that two Eagles had just killed a lamb and 
were feasting on the carcase near the road. On enquiring, i 
found that the lamb in question had been accidentally maimed 
at the shearing-shed, and a station-hand had killed it to end its 
sufferings, but was unable just at the time to burn the carcase. 
Hie Eagles, eying this freshly-killed morsel (the sight—or smell 
—of blood will bring them from afar) naturally descended: thus 
they were feasting, and incidentally making themselves appear 
guilty of killing, when my visiting friends came along. Strangely, 
enough, these birds turned out to be those whose home I was 
observing, as on the following day I found at the nest a portion 
of a lamb’s broken leg-bone, which I fitted into the broken leg of 
the lamb that my visitors had seen, nearly two miles distant. The 
circumstantial evidence was very strong that the birds had killed 
the lamb to provide themselves and family with food; I proved 
this to be wrong, and now wonder how many times similar evi¬ 
dence has condemned the birds. 
With some knowledge of Wedge-tailed Eagles in other localities, 
besides this Barcoo district, it is clear to me that they build as 
high as suitable trees will admit, but when the timber is low they 
will curtail the height; indeed, in some scrub districts, or where 
trees are very stunted and scarce, nests may be found and the 
contents examined from the back of one’s saddle-horse. But in 
every instance, whether the nest is high or low, it commands a 
good view of the surrounding country, so that the birds cannot 
fie surprised at close quarters. 
Eagles will also add to and occupy the same nest season after 
season. Under these circumstances the nests become huge struc¬ 
tures.. One, measured with a surveyor’s levelling staff, proved 
to be nine feet six inches deep on the outside and five feet six 
niches across the top. An examination showed there were six 
different and distinct nests, one above the other. When weighed, 
* he whole mass turned the scale at nine hundred and twenty 
pounds. The sticks, leaves, grass, etc.* were in a perfectly dry 
state, so that there was no increase of weight through moisture. 
Numbers of the nest sticks were three feet six inches long, and 
a full inch in diameter. On the ground below the nest was a 
considerable quantity of material that had fallen or been shaken 
from itpbut this, of course, was not included in the weighing. 
I have written these lines from notes jotted down with sub¬ 
jects in sight. It is not by any means claimed that a fascinating 
topic has become exhausted, but I hope I have at least illus¬ 
trated that three months’ continual observation of this majestic 
bird discloses that there is much that is instructive, peculiar and 
interesting in “the way of an Eagle.” 
