The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-09-29
Eflonitomof pilot.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER %, 1881.
BIRDS OF PREY.
WONDERFUL STORIES OF a SOUTH
AMERICAN EAGLE.

AMERICAN EAGLE.
An eagle known to the colon
lists by the several names of Lem
mervaanger," 'Berghaan," and
''IVitte Kruis," the scientific name
Of which is Aquila verreauxii, is
one Of the finest representatives of
the numerous hawk and eagle tribe
in the whole Of South Africa. Jet
black with half the back and rump
white hence the Dutch name
''Witte Kruis," Il. e., white cross
legs feathered to the toes, which
are bright yellow, claws black, very
strong and curved. The young
birds are mottled brown, inclining
here and there to black, according
to age. A writer in the London
Field says: Il have shot trapped,
and poisoned them ofvarying shades
Of color, from callow brown to adult
black. Indeed for some years [
could not be persuaded but that
the young birds, in their first and
seconds plumage, were Of a dis
tinct species. 1t is called ''Dassie
Vaanger" (coney catcher) by the
colonists, from feeding principally
on the coney or rock rabbit, (Hyrax
capensis.) 1t also attacks the Kill
pspringer antelope, darling at it
when perched upon some pinnacle
Of the rockets fovorite position
and hurting it headlong into the
abyss below, into which it then de-
scends to feed at its leisure. 1t is
terrible pest to the fockmasters
Of the high grass country, owing to
its bold and determined depreda-
tons on young lambs: hence the
name "lammer vaanger"- that is,
lamb catcher. These raids are al
most invariably carried on during
the breeding season, which gener-
ally commences about May or June,
these months being along the com
mencement Of the Landing season.
| have never known them to be
troublesome at any other time, al
though | have had lambs in every
month of the year. They nest in
an inaccessible rock or ''krantz, :"
generally in a hole, or on a small
ledge midway from top to bottom,
and quite unapprochable excepting
by ropes. The vicinity of the nest
is strewed with the remains of dead
lambs, kids, rock rabbits, young
springbucks, antelopes, and numer-
Gus other victims. The colonists
hayingredUced the quantity Of game
to almost a minimum, have com
PEELED the birds to seek reprisals
on their focks and herds. [ know
a gentleman, a breeder Of thorough
bred stock, who has had as many
as sixty lambs taken in one season,
representing money value Of goo.
The usual method Of securing their
prey is TO pounce on their victim,
grasp it around the back with their
powerful talons, which are driven
in with such force as to meet in the
vital parts, the span Of a full-grown
birds talons being full as wide as
an ordinary sized mans hand; they
then pierce the body just behind
the shoulder, thus securing such
dainty bits as the liver, lungs and
heart. AS they nearly always hunt
| up in couples, this renders their
destruction by trapping a somewhat
| easy task. The usual method of
| trapping them is as follows: Take
the remains Of a lamb, newly xii
led, as they never devour the whole
at one meal, rip it open, press it
down flat, leaving as much Of the
inside exposed as possible. The
trap, common fox-trap, in this
set, and placed diagonally on the
bait, covering it as much as pos
sible. If the feet or legs project
they must be cut off at the knee
joints, or twisted inward, as it fire.
quently happens, if this is not care
fully attended to, that wiley bird
will lay hold ofaprojecting leg and
pull the bait out from beneath the
trap, thus springing it, and secur-
ing his object with impunity. ]
have known birds to get so cunning
at this sort of game that the bait
had to be buried some inches deep
in the soil, so that no particle of it
could be got at without letting off
the trap. The plan | found to ans
wer best was to use three traps.
setting them so as to form a rude
sort Of triangle, and then place the
bait quite exposed in the centre.
As long as the bait is not covered
they appear to be quite oblivious
of danger, and walk into the sur
rounding traps without the least
apparent sense of danger.
ONE Of the chief hindrances to