The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-10
A BIG BIRD FIG 1T.
The Vulture and the Eagle Have a
Rough-and-Tumble Row.

The Vulture and the Eagle Have a
Rough-and-Tumble Row.
From the Ne1C York Advertiser.
Two thousand people witnessed a novel
combat yesterday afternoon in Central
park. 1t was between a large bald eagle
and king vulture. The battle ground was
within the mammoth eagle cage west Of
the arsenal. For fifteen minutes the birds
fought desperately before they were separ-
ated by one Of the keepers. Two old sports
present said it beat any cock fight they had
ever seen.
The cage in which the eagles are confined
is 30 feet long, IL wide and has a hight Of
about Is feet. The area is inclosed by stout
bars of iron, set in solid stonework at the
base, aud iron orosspieces at the top, which
stand upright, extending from the ground to
the roof. The bars are set about two inches
apart. The interior of the cage has been
arranged to resemble the natural haunts of
the king of birds. In the center is pool Of
water two feet deep. with steps lead
ing to the bottom, In which the eagles dip
their bills, and now and then take sudden
plunge and jump out again on to the land,
for they don't like the water. Rocks have
been piled up at each end of the cage, where
the vultures and eagles make their eyrie. A
large perch hangs between the rocks,
wherein the golden eagle and the white
tailed eagle spend most of their time. The
vultures and the bald eagle occupy the
rocks.
There is no cage in the park where in
mates are less sociable than that Of the
eagles. All day long they stand upon the
rocks and stare into space, scarcely utter
ing a sound save when something unusual
happens. The bald eagle appears to have
pre-empted the summit Of one pile of rocks,
for he stands there all day In undispused
possession and peers about him sedately.
seldom changing his position. Perched
below him on the rocky protubsr-
ances, the vultures while away the hours In
pretty much the same manner, save that
there is a keeuer, more animated look in
their eyes, which makes the beholder think
they are only awaiting the moment to fly at
something The golden eagle displays no
individuality except his masterful mac
tivity. He simply sits still all day and looks
pretty. The white tailed eagles hop about
a little and do their utmost apparently to
instill some life into the morose assemblage,
but without success.
The birds were pursuing the even tenor of
their way yesterday afternoon when a spar
row few into the Gage and alighted near the
edge of the pool Instantly the king vulture
fixed his fierce gaze upon the sparrow
There was blood in his cruel eye. Hopping
down from one stone to another until he
reached the ground the vulture began steal
ing toward the sparrow, who was dipping
his wee bill into the pool. Closer and closer
to the sparrow came the vulture, his move
ments net making even enough sound to
startle his victim. The vulture raised one
foot, and, with extended talons, brought it
down heavily upon the smaller bird.
Scarcely had he done so when from his
rocky eminence the bald eagle emitted
terrific soreech, and, Tapping his gigantic
wings, swooped down upon the vulture.
The bald eagles unearthly scream startled
the crowd, and there was a grand rush to-
ward the eagle. The eagle landed on the
vultures back and keeled over. nearly fail
ing into the pool. In an instant he had wrig-
gled from under the eagle and gained his
feet. For a moment the two kings OF the
air stood glazing at each other. Then
with tremendous force they came to-
Rether At the same moment each set up
a scream. From that moment it was more
of a rough and tumble than a stand up
fight. The birds would clinch, fall down
and roll over. In the meantime the other
vultures had set up a chorus OF screeches
and come down from their perches. The
golden eagle alone remained unmoved, sit
ting solemnly upon the wooden bar aud
blinking his red eyes as though the house.
hold was ia its usual state OF quietude. The
other birds surrounded the conbatants and
looked as though they would like to take a
hand Ia the fight. Bus they did not inter
fere. Time and again the bald eagle and
the king vulture had flown at each other
while the feathers few thick and fast about
them. Once they rolled over the wounded
sparrow and crushed the life out Of him. 1t
would doubtless nsve been fight to the
finish but for the timely interference of a
man, who thrust long pole into the cage
and beat both birds as hard as he could. At
first they would not break away, but kent
on clawing and biting each other, while the
man continued raining on them q succession
OF heavy blows. A powerful blow on the
head finally laid the vulture low. The
eagle sprang upon his fallen antagonist aud
would have made short work Of him, but
was driven into a corner by the man with
the pole, and kept there until his thirst for
blood had subsidized.
It was some time before the interior OF the
csSe was restored to its accustomed quiet.
But one at time the birds went back TO
their perches on the rocks, and before the
crowd had dispersed they were sitting like
statues staring into space. The vulture was
the last TO leave the ground. As he recov-
cred from his hard knocks on the head he
looked about him in dazed way, ambled
down TO the pool, dipped up some water and
let 1t gurgle down his parched Ruliet, and
then hoped slowly up on the rocks. The
bald eagle had already taken up his old
place on the opposite side
When the keeper appeared later on and
gave the birds their evening meal, they all
partoOk of it in perfect harmony. Even
when the bald eagle and the king vulture
both darted for the same bit OF food the tn-
cident did not serve TO reopen hostilities.
SUB-RpIToR--Who originated the expression