Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1864-04-14
The Eagle.

The ancient Romans used the, figure of
the eagle as we do, to represent their ma
tional greatness. They called him the bird
-of Jupiter, king Of the gods. His image
" as emblazoned on all their standards, and
always carried in front of their armies. The
characteraof the Roman nation was more
in keeping with the nature of the eagfethan
is the genius of the American people. fHe
is voracious bird, living entirely on small
animals, and making as terrible havoc
among defenseless pigeons, poultry, rabbits,
etc, that come in his way, as did the 7Ro-
mans among the surrounding nations.
There is however, much to commend the
eagle as the bird of America He is of no
BILE aspect; all his emotions are majestic
His fight towers far above that Of the COM
mon feathered tribes. His eye is full of
fire, indicating undaunted courage. He will
fight bravely for his young and for his
freedom l"a
The nest of the eagle is usually built on
some high, steep rock, where it is very diff
fcult for manto climb. Many thrilling
are related Of the attempts to
secure young eagles from the nest. In ad-
dition to the danger Of falling from the
dizzy hight, the hunter has often to- fight q
sharp battle with the parent birds. Their
strength is great, and they can inflict very
severe wounds with their sharp claws and
strong bcaks. A gentleman of our acquaint-
ance once caught large eagle in a steel
trap, and in attempting to remove him, the
bird struck his talons into the mans wrist
50 firmly that it was necessary to cut the
cords of the birds leg before he could be
made to let go his hold. When taken
young he can be partially tanned, but it is
necessary to keep him confined by a
chain, or to clip his wings, to prevent his
escaping. !,
Having selected resting place, eagles
usually occupy it from year to year. Some
have been known to keep their home in one
place for more than ten years; to the no
small loss Of adjacent neighborhoods where
they preyed upon the lambs and poultry Of
the farmers. They have been known to
carry away young children. An affecting
anecdote of this is related as having occur
red in Switzerland A hunter had set out
to climb to the nest Of an eagle, on a high
cliff few miles from his own home. He
was armed with a rifle, and hoped at least
to get near enough to shoot one or more Of
the old birds. After much labor he sue
cccded in gaining point within gunshot,
and very soon he saw one of the birds APP
preaching with something in her talons. :
What was his horror to perceive as she
drew near, that it had seized upon a little
child, which must soon be torn in pieces
unless he could rescue it Just as the bird
was about alighting, he lifted his heart in
prayer to God, took aim and fired, killing
the bird. He then, by almost superhuman
exertion, climbed to the nest, and found,
with feelings that cannot be described, that
it was his own little daughter whom he had
rescued!
The selection Of Constantinople, the an
cicnt Byzantium, as the scat of the East
ern Empire, is said to have been directed
by an Eagle. Constantine had fixed upon
the site of ancient Tyre, and the engineers
were laying out the city, when an eagle
came, seized the measuring line, few off
With and dropped it in Byzantium Such
was the story to the soldiers and marines,
to reconcile them to the change of plan,
which they might otherwise have thoughts
bad omen Pliny relates story Of an
eagle, which has been gravely doubted !;
but we do not see that'it is more improba-
than the rest. A young maiden of Sestos
reared up young eagle, which became SO
attached to her that, when she died and
was laid upon the funeral pile, he flew to
her, alighted on her body, and perished in
the flames. There is nothing more proba-
bic than that tame eagle should thus
alight upon the body of his mistress; and
if the flames rose quick and fierce, as they
probably would, he may very well have
been unable to escape. An eagle saved the
life of a famous woman. Helen, the beau
ty of Greece, was about to be sacrificed, in
her girlhood, to induce the Gods to turn
aside pestilence. She stood upon the al
tar, crowned with sacrifcial flowers, and
the priest was about to consummate the sac
rifice, when the eagle swooped down, seized
the knife, and laid it upon the head of a
heifer, which was sacrificed in her stead.
The French, under the Empire, adopted
it from the Romans. The double eagles of
Austria is the union of the eagles Of the
Eastern and Western Empire; and the En-
perol consider themselves the head Of the
Holy Roman Empire. Russia has her black
eagle, Poland had her white eagle Prus-
sia also has her eagle. England chose a
beast instead Of bird for her emblem; but
America her danphter went hack 70 her