Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-30
Central and South America, says the New

Central and South America, says the New
York Sun.
The festivities celebrating the coca
sion of the Presidents return" said Mr..
Maeher, included bull fights, of course.
and most extraordinary some of them
were, too. Our party attended the fights,
but, as exciting as they were, the best of
them was tame when compared to one of
the incidental numbers of the programme
of the arenic sports. That particular
number was battle, between Mexican
lynx, one of the most ferocious of trop-
zeal beasts, and a male harpy eagle. A
number OF these birds have been captur-
ed away up in the region of the forks of
the Rio Verde and brought to the capital
for another purpose, but some Mexican,
who ha6 probably seen manifestations OF
the gameness, pluck and power of the
harpy, suggested the lynx and eagle sght,
and 1t was put on the programme. 1t
was expected that the lynx would succeed
in quickly dispatchipg the eagle, but
fresh eagles were to be Pitted against the
animal until 1t was defeated. or the sup
ply of harpies ran out.
"The lynx was brought into the arena
IN wooden cage on wheels. The eagle
had already been deposited on the
ground, its wings having been clipped TO
prevent its flying away. Itstood erect on
its powerfuI, fethered legs, its breast
thrown forward, and its strong, square
head held aloft, as it cast a defiant look
around from its glistering eye. The
bird was at least three feet high, its
viciously curved beak and immense
spreading talons marking its equipment
as conbatanG to the dreaded. The lynx's
cage was brought to within twenty feet
Of where the great eagle stood. The door
was then opened, and the attendant
scurried away to safe distance.
"The lynx bounded from the cage. 1t
was lean in flesh, its keeper having evil
IDENTIFY enhanced the excitement of the
fight by adding to the lynx's natural
ferocity, the rage of hunger. The
animals eyes flashed fire as they fell on
the big harry, standing so defiant in the
presence of its antagonist. The lynx
crouched on the ground as if for a
spring. The eagle did not wait for an
assauJs The remarkable crest of feath-
ers on its head instantly rose'to its full
height, giving to the bird an aspect of
threatening ferceness. Then the eagle
thrust its head forward to the full
length of its neck, lowered it nearly to
the ground. raised its wings foot or
more from its body, and with its beak
parted, rushed upon the lynx. The sud-
denRess of TIE eagles attack was sur
prise to the lynx, for he was still cowar-
ing when the harpy rushed upon him and
simultaneously struck him with both beak
and taloon. The lynx, with yell of rage
and pain, sprang upon the eagle. The
eagles harsh cries mingled with the
fierce yells of its antagonist while it tore
the lynx's flesh with its beak, and, Jump
ing like game cock, truck fercely with
its talon, every blow telling on its COM
Blatant, in spite of the latter's agility.
For ten minutes the bird defied the
tactics and furious counter assaults of
the beast, while the arena rang with the
excited yells of the great audience. The
eagle was nearly denuded of feathers.
Blood poured from the lynx in streams.
At last the lynx made a desperate rush,
seized one of the eagles wings in his
red jaws, and with one mighty wrench
uniointed it at the shoulder and tore it
from the harpy's body. Although thus
crippled, the harpy's fought on, and not
until one leg was striped of flesh and
broken so that it hung to the body by It's
COLu diSuE, dilu tl6 tecbn VI 1ue Tx udu
gashed open the now bare throat of the
bird, sevsring the windpipe and arteries
of the neck, did the harpy fail to rise to
meek the assa ults of its enemy. Even
then it turned On its back and struck
with it's salons until it was too weak to
raise them, and death ended the combat.
The lynx crawled away from the torn
body of its foe, leaving trail of blood.
A second eagle was not needed to com
tinue the ight. 1t had been fought to a
finish by both the contestants. The lynx
crawlea to the door of his cage where
he rolled over and died. He had been
disemboweled by the hsrpy's falcons, and
was 6ayed from his breast AMI shoulders
to his nose"