Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1880-12-08
The Golden Eagle.

This noble bird is spread over large
portion of the world, being found IN the
British Islands, and in varions parts of Eu-
rope, Asia, Africa, and America The col
or of this bird is rich blackish-brown on
the greater part of the body, the head and
neck being covered with feathers of a rich
golden red, which have earned for the bird
its popular name. The legs and sides OF
the thighs are grey-brown, and the tail is
deep gray, diversified with several regular
dark-brown bars. The cerc and the feet
are yellow. In Its immature state the plu-
mage of the golden eagle is differently ting
ed, the whole of the feathers being reddish
brown, the legs and sides of the thighs
nearly white, and the tail white for the first
three-quarters of its length. So different
an aspect does the immature bird present
that If has been often reckoned as separate
species, and named accordingly. Ii is
truly magnificent bird in point of size, for
an adult female measures about three feet
six inches in length, and the expanse of
her wings is nine feet The male is less by
nearly six inches. In England the golden
eagle has long been extinct; but it Is still
found in some plenty in the highlands of
Scotland and Ireland, where il is observed
to frequent certain favorite haunts, and to
breed regularly In the same spot for a long
series of years. Their nest is always made
upon some elevated spot, generally upon a
ledge of rock, and is most Inartistically
constructed of sticks, which are thrown ap-
parently at rand )m, and rudely arranged
for the purpose of containing the eggs and
young A neighboring ledge of rock is
generally reserved for larder, where the
parent eagles store up the food which they
bring from the plains below. The contents
of this larder are generally of most mis-
cellaneous description, consisting Of hares,
partridges, and game of all kinds, lambs,
rabbits, young pigs, fish, and other similar
articles of food. An eagles nest might
therefore be supposed to be an unpleasant
neighbOr to the farmers, but it is said that
the birds respect the laws of hospitality,
and, provided that they are left unmolested,
will spare the flocks of their immediate
neighbors and forage for food at a consid-
erable distance. In hunting for their prey.
the eagle and his mate mutually assist eech
other. 1t may here be mentioned that the
eagles are all homogeneous, keeping them
selves TO a single mate, and living together
in perfect harmony through their lives.
Should, however, one of them die or be
killed, the survivor is not long left in a
state of widowhood. but vanishes from the
spot for few days, and then returns with
a new mate. As the rabbits and hares are
generally nnder cover during the day, the
eagle is forced TO drive them from their
place of concealmealment, and manages
the matter in a very clever and sportsman
ike manner. One of the eagles conceals
itself near the cover which is to be beaten,
and its companion then dashes among the
bushes, screaming and making such dis
turbance that the terrified inmates rush
out in hopes of escape, and are Immediately
pounced upon by the watchful confederate.
The prey is Immediately taken to the nest, |
and distributed tothe young, if there should |
be any eaglets IN the lofty cradle. 1t Is a
rather remarkable fact, that whereas the |
vultmes feed their young by disgorging the |
food which they have taken into their crops, |
the eagles carry the prey ts their nests and |
there tear it to pieces, and feed the eaglets |
with the morsels. When in pursuit of its |
prey it Is a most audaclous bird, havIug |
been seen TO carry off hare from before |
the noses of the hounds. 1t is keen fish |
erman, catching and securing salmon and
various sea fish with singular skill. Some !
timesit has met with more than its match, |
and has seized upon fish that was too
heavy for its powers, thus falling victim !
TO its sporting propensities. Mr.. Lloyd men,
.ions several instances where eagles have |
been drowned by pouncing upon large pike,
which carried their as iilans under water
and fairly drowned them. In mole than
one instance the feet of an eagle have been
seen firmly clinched in the pixies back, the
bird having decayed and fallen away.