markable for their temperance. This species seldom devours the whole of his game, but, like the lion, leaves the fragments and offals to other animals. Though famished for want of prey, he disdains to feed upon carrion. Like the lion, also, he is solitary; the inhabitant of a desert, over which he reigns supreme, excluding all the other birds from his silent domain. It is perhaps even more uncommon to see two pairs of Eagles in the same tract of mountain, than two families of lions in the same part of the forest. They separate from each other at such wide intervals, as to afford ample range for subsistence; and esteem the value and extent of their domain to consist in the abundance of prey with which it is replenished. The eyes of the Eagle have the glare of those of the lion, and are nearly of the same colour; the claws are of the same shape; the organs of sound are equally powerful, and the cry equally terrible. Destined, both of them, for war and plunder, they are equally bold, fierce, and untractable. It is impossible to tame them, unless they be caught in their infancy." It may be allowed that this parallel holds good in all its points but one, that which respects the voice of the Eagle, which is a piercing treble, possessed of no grandeur, while that of the lion is a deep and dreadful base.

Of all his tribe, the Golden Eagle is the largest and most majestic. He measures three feet in length, seven feet and a half from tip to tip of the wings, and weighs fourteen pounds. The head and neck are clothed with narrow pointed feathers, of a deep brown colour, bordered with tawny: the whole body also is of a dark brown, the back being finely clouded with a deeper shade of the same: the tail is brown, irregularly barred with an obscure ash colour. The beak is of a deep blue, and the eye of a hazel colour. The legs are yellow, strong, and feathered to the very feet; and the toes are armed with formidable claws.

Elevated rocks, and ruined solitary castles and

towers are the places which the Golden Eagle chooses for its abode. Unlike the nests of other birds, which are hollow, its nest is flat; the basis consisting of sticks about five or six feet in length, supported at each end, and covered with several layers of rushes and heath. It is about two yards square, and is said to serve for the bird during its whole life. The female hatches her eggs in thirty days, and never lays

more than two or three.

The Eagle may be tamed, if take nearly; but even in its domesticated state it will resent the slightest ill usage. Nor is it at all prudent to arouse their anger, as, such is their strength, that scarcely any quadruped can cope with them, and a man has been known to be killed by a single flap of their wing. The Eagle is a long lived bird; it is certain that one of them has been kept in confinement for a hundred years; and it is able to sustain the want of food for at least three weeks, a degree of abstinence of which very few animals are capable.

THE BLACK, OR COMMON EAGLE.

THIS bird is found in all climates, hot as well as cold, and usually inhabits the most perpendicular and inaccessible rocks. It is about two feet ten inches in length, and the general colour of its plumage is blackish. The head and upper parts of the neck are, however, mixed with yellow, while the lower half of the tail is white with blackish spots, the other half blackish. It is so powerful as to be able to kill a dog that is much larger than itself. The Abbé Spallanzani having forced one of these animals into an apartment where he kept an Eagle, " the bird immediately ruffled the feathers on its head and neck, cast a dreadful look at its victim, and, taking a short flight, immediately alighted on its back. It held the neck firmly with one foot, by which the dog was prevented from

turning his head to bite, and with the other grasped one of his flanks, at the same time driving its talons into the body; and in this attitude it continued, till the dog expired with fruitless cries and efforts. The beak, which had hitherto been unemployed, was now used for making a small hole in the skin: this was gradually enlarged; and from this, the bird began to tear away and devour the flesh, and went on till he was satisfied." Little can be said for the humanity of the man who thus satisfied his curiosity, as to the mode in which the Eagle attacks its prey.

THIS bird is nearly as large as the Golden Eagle, measuring in length three feet and a half, but its expanded wings do not reach above seven feet. Its bill is large, much hooked, and of a bluish colour: irides in some light hazel, in others yellow: a row of strong bristly feathers hangs down from its under bill next

to its throat, whence it has been termed the Bearded Eagle: the top of the head and back part of the neck are dark brown, inclining to black: the feathers on the back are variegated by a lighter brown, with dark edges; the scapulars are pale brown, the edges nearly white; the breast and belly whitish, with irregular spots of brown; the tail feathers are dark brown, the outer edges of the exterior feathers whitish; the quill feathers and thighs are dusky: the legs and feet yellow; the claws, which are large, and form a complete semicircle, are of a shining black, and have one singularity in their conformation, the outer toe being capable of turning easily backward, which enables the animal to hold its prey more firmly.

It is found in various parts of Europe and America. It is, however, wide dispersed, and was met with at Botany Island by Captain Cook. It lives chiefly on fish; its usual haunts are by the sea shore; and it also frequents the borders of large lakes or rivers; and is said to see so distinctly in the dark, as to be able to pursue and catch its prey during the night. The nest is built on the ground among reeds, and the female lays three or four white eggs, which are rather smaller than a hen's. Frequent contests take place between the Bald Eagle and the Osprey; the former endeavouring to deprive the latter of the prey which it has caught.

THE SECRETARY FALCON.

THIS curious bird resembles the common Falcon in its head, bill, and claws; but its legs are so long that, when it stands upright, it is not much unlike the crane. When standing erect, it measures about three feet from the top of the head to the ground. It is a native of the interior of Africa, Asia, and the Philippine islands. The general colour of the plumage is a bluish ash; the tips of the wings, the thighs, and the

vent inclining to black. On the back of the head are several long dark coloured feathers, hanging down behind, and capable of being erected at pleasure. This crest induced the Dutch colonists at the Cape to give it the name of the Secretary; the Hottentots, however, style it the Serpent-eater, from the avidity with which it catches and devours those noxious reptiles. The manner in which it seizes them displays great intelligence. On approaching them it carries forward the point of one of its wings, in order to parry their venomous bites, and waits till it finds an opportunity of spurning or treading on its adversary, or taking him on his pinions and throwing him into the air. When he has at last thus wearied him out, he kills and devours him at his leisure,

M. le Vaillant witnessed one of these combats. Finding itself inferior in strength, the serpent endeavoured to regain his hole, but the Falcon by a single leap got before him, and cut off his retreat. On whatever side the reptile strove to escape, the enemy still faced him. The serpent then erected himself to intimidate the bird, and, hissing dreadfully, displayed his menacing throat, inflamed eyes, and a head swoln with rage and venom. Sometimes this produced a momentary suspension of hostilities; but the bird soon returned to the charge, and, covering her body with one of her wings as a buckler, struck her enemy with the bony protuberance of the other. The serpent at last dropped, and the bird laid open his skull with one stroke of her beak.

This singular bird may easily be tamed, and it becomes very domestic and familiar. Though, if severely pinched with hunger, it will then devour ducklings and chickens; yet, if well fed, it will live with the poultry on amicable terms, and when it sees any of them quarreling, will run to part the combatants. Unlike all the rest of the feathered race, these birds always strike forward with their legs when they fight.