The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-10
RATTLE between EAGLES.
The BaId-Headed Eagle Teaches the
south American n Thing or Two.
From the Phnadelphia Press.

about. but everybody who was within
hearing distance knows THAI there was
trouble. Tor time the odd-shaped cage
looked Ike a feather mattress whose in
terror had been exposed 10 the wind. Then
all quieted down. and il was hard TO tell
which was the baldheaded eagle by nature
and which by fate.
The eagles occupy quarters by them
selves, facing the new monkey house.
The front of their cage ana portion Of
each side is made w Of iron bars. which
gives them plenty of air and light and
makes them visible 10 the crowd. In the
middle of the cage is tree that has seen
better days. 1t is absolutely free from
bark and as white as a washerwomaus
linen. II has numerous stubs and branches,
which not only make il picturesque, but
available as a perch. The eagles sit on this
and discuss the degeneracy Of the race
or the situation al Jackson's Hole.
Back Of this tree are several long, fiat
perches. which are far more popular as
a congregating place. The only trouble
with them is that they are as flexible as
as carriage springs. Consequently when
an eagle arranges himself for sober
thought, and is not suspecting trouble,
and a brash young eagle Jabs himself down
suddenly on the perch, he is likely TO
top of the cage. where he will bump his
head and drop to the ground with sick
ening thud. That is unpleasant.
In the front part Of the cage is toun-
tain, where the eagles disport themselves
and take their weekly bath. Pebbles are
sprinkled around plentifuily. presumably
to deceive the poor birds into imagining
they are at the seashore.
The inmates of the eagle cage are a
dozen or so in number comprising dlHerr
ent kinds of eagles. They are all ugly,
not bit like the handsome bird that
makes the coin of the realm take unto
itself wings. But ugly as they are, they
are interesting. There the two particu-
larly ugly. They are situated specimens,
who have lost most of their feathers, ow-
ing to their unsociable disposition, and
look like pictures of a poll parrot that has
had difficulty with elothes-WTinger.. AL
though only half the size of the other
birds they delight to pick a fight and II
they can start two of the big birds fighting
nothing suits them. better, e-
The -bald-headed eagle and the South
American eagle got into an alteration
yesterday about some trialng matter, and
nnally came to blows. Then the fun
began Snapi went the hooked beak Of
the former, as it sought TO catch the 9th
er in the wing joint. Adroitly the bird
from South America lodged and with a
sudden movement banged his adversary
on the side of the head with his out
stretched wing. The other eagles cheered
as the bald-headed fighter went spinning
around like u Chinese top. but became 81
lent when the Bird stopping itself sud
denly hurled itself against the breast Of
the other bird and clawed him. viciousy
striking him three powerful blows in sue
cession.
Stunned and helpless. the victim rolled
over and over and floundered around like
drunken man on an ice pond. He soon
recovered, however, and the two locked
spun round each other vigorously, seek
ing for an opening. Meanwhile their hid
eous cries resounded through the cage
and added to the excitement An old lady
of the eagle family fel1 off the perch in
the rear of the cage. suffering confusion
Of the scalp, besides sSRiIfs1s TfnEhe lhe$a,
feet and wings. AL tho sothen birds be-
gan to be restless and bet pebbles on the
result Then the two broke, away.
Discordant notes urged them to the
fight Again ana again they launged at
each other and raiaad quich and power
full blows with wings and ,beaks and
claws. Neither apparently gained any
material advantage. one of IN tsRdi sfgree-
able eagles said the Southf American had
the best of it. That caused another fight
The tallest bird went hopping around
like a barefoot boy on hot pavement
and his bigger competitor lost no chance
to smite him early ana orten His ugly
campanion Joined in and that made hve
in the arena, all going tooth and nail
The rest became aroused. They began
crowding each other for good seats and
from that got to insulting each other
Finally the whole place was in an up
roar. Eagles went tearing. about the
cage after other eagles, and the whiaz
and shrill unmusical cries made a sensd-
ton. Feathers began to fly in abund-
ance, and 1t was only AFTER Il long strug-
gle that things began to quiet down. All
the victorious were taken to the foun-
tain and washed and made to look as
good as new. 1t was found that the
bald-headed eagle had won the gate re-
ceipts. his opponent having been badly
used up in the fight. Vow peace reigns
once more.
The large number of rare, birds which
arrived last week is getting a little more
accustomed to their new quarters The
clipper little finch from Asfa, which is
so rare that it is puzzHng Supt Brown
to place it exactly. don't seem to mind
the death of her companion on the way
over She was as lively as a cricket
The birds of the Bleeding Heart as
the natives of the Philippine Islands call
the blood-breasted pigeon were regarded
with much interest They are the rarest
to catch and because the natives regard
them as sacred. There are many legends
connected with this beautiful bird Its
breast is of pure white with the exception
of a single blotch Of red. which looks like
blood. The prettiest Of the legends is that
when Christ hung upon the cross and
cried aloud for water a pigeon carried a
drop on his beak to wet his lips As the
bird few to the Savior it's breast was
pierced by one Of the thorns on the crown,
and from that time IL has borne this as a
distinctive sign of it's errand of mercy.
The two Australian black swans, pair
Of fighters, and pair of Egyptian geese
who can give them cards and spades in
the noble art Of self-defense, were not put
in the lake yesterday because row was
not desired. The pair of pure white st6rks
and their companions Of q jet black hue
which came from Germany. seemed. to be
getting used to their quarferss Three par
oquets, two pairs Of, chgkar cartridges
from India and the valuable %eellared fay
thrush" which is so rare, and the pied
mynah, Of India, all created a. stir in the
bird house. Mr.. Brown Is very proud OF
these additions the most important of
that Kind ever made in the 700
VacatIOn Time- &,
Is at hand and is gladly welcomed by
all, especially those whose duties 4, ne