Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-02-13

Desperate Encounter Between an Eagle
and an Enormous Stag.

and an Enormous Stag.
Recently some visitors to tho thigh
lands of Scotland had an opportunity
of witnessing a sight the like OF which
was never recorded. They had rested
on a hill to admire a herd of red deer
that were led by a stag of enormous
proportions, among the knobs of a
game preserve. As the proud "mon-
arch of the glen'' stood on a slight ele-
walton a large grey eagle was seen
circling in the air above him. Pres
emily it darted almost with the rapidity
of lightning and fixed itself on the
back Of the afrighted stag. 1t imhed-
ded it's talons in the flesh of his sides,
struck tierccly with its pinions and
reached forward its beak to pluck out
the beautiful eyes of the animal it was
torturing. The stag, apparently stupe-
fled by fright, at first remained mo-
tionless, but in q moment he put him.
self on the defensive. He moved his
head rapidly from one side to the
other, striking the eagle with his
branching antlers. The savage bird
was knocked upon the ground and the
stag, wounded and bleeding, stood cx-
ultingly over it. The eagle, however,
was not greatly injured. 1t soon raj
lied and rose high in the air. When it
was almost lost in the distance it was
seer to circle again and in a moment
it darted on the stag and fixed its tai.
ons and beak in his launches. In this
position the frightened animal was not
able to strike it with his antlers,
although it tried hard to do so. As a
last resort he passed his head between
his fore legs, threw himself on the
ground, and rolled over with the inten-
ton Of crushing the bird. The eagle
withdrew his talons and with blood
flowing from its pinions regained its
place in the sky. All the deer in the
herd now raised their heads. and as
they saw the eagle again preparing to
Pounce on their leader they ran into a
thicket of evergreens and escaped.
The eagle came near enough to the
ground to make a clear survey of the
field and then disappeared.
British naturalists and sportsmen are
trying to ascertain the motive that
prompted the eagle to make such an
attack on a powerful stag. They state
that eagles have been rarely known to
Kin or to try to destroy creatures they
did not desire for food. What is more
to the point they have never known
them to kill animals of a size so large
that they could not carry them away.
They ordinarily seek hares and rabbits,
but sometimes attack lambs and suck
ling deer. All of these, however, they
are able to carry. off and devour at
their leisure. Eagles appear to excr-
else reason in their hunting expcdi.
tons. They do not waste time and
strength, as human sportsmen do pow
der and shot, on game they do not
want and WHICH they know they can
not make use of.
1t is altogether likely that these nat
uralists and hunters may not know as
much about the minds and motives of
wild birds as they think they do. The
human inhabitants of the Highlands
used to engage in savage encounters
with the members of rival clans APP
parently without cause. They were
possessed OF a natural love of Fl fighting,
The eagles of these forest wilds may
have the same disposition. The old
Hlghlanders sought to revenge wrongs
committed many years before. The
eagles OF the same region may seek to
do the same. Possibly there was an
cold grudge' between the parties to
this notable encounter. This stag
might have defended a young fawn
which the eagle was trying to kill. The
eagle might have treasured up the re-
membrance of the affair and sought
revenge at the time of the remarkable
encounter. The battle was one that
would have delighted Scott or Land
seer.-Chicago Times.