The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-12-26
THE KING OF BIRDS.
HIS REALM AMONG THE MOUNT
AIc,S OF EAST TENNESSEE.
Habits and Pcculiarltics Of tie
american Eagle as Exhibited
to the IIunter-Iiow He
is Captured.

| " tAC AAuuNCI-IOb AAC
is Captured.
THERE ere many cnsles in the
Tennessee mountains, and
there are many mountaineers
{ who are expert catchers OF
the young caslets, who reap rich re-
wards in return for their perilous
risks and adventures. Eagles make
their eyries among the clefts and crags
OF the highest mountains of the State.
The American yacht Defender, which
defeated the English yacht Valkyrie
III, in the famous international race
last year, carried as its mascots two
young caglets captured in the Tenn
essee mountains. Private owners Of
yachts, captains OF big ocean liners and
the steamboat men of the big rivers Of
America are very partial to caglets as
pets, and the eagle catchers find this
class of men among their best custom.
ers.
Young eagles bring from $40 to $50,
occasionally 500. Eagles that are Of
some age and Of great size (such Gre
rarely captured, however) bring as
high as $500 to $500. Eagles which
have to be killed while trying to Cap
ture them are valuable to taxidermists,
who always finds an easy market for o
great stuffed eagle. Their feathers,
especially the wing and tail feathers,
are sold for good prices.
The eagle builds it's nest upon the
top of 3 mighty tree growing far up on
the mountain among the myriad of
twining vines, or in the thickest and
almost inaccessible growth of bushes
and shrubs, or on the summit of o
high rock. An eagle's nest is large
one always. and is strongly and COM
fortably built. Large sticks and
branches are laid together, nearly fiat,
and bound with twining vines. The
spacious inside is covered with hair
and moses so mlnutely woven to-
getber that no wind can enter. The
mother bird lays two eggs which are
curiosities. The long end, tapers down
to q point. The color of the egg is
ground of brcwish red, with many
dots and spots upon it. The egg it.
self is proof of the wild and savage
parentage.
An eagle lives from eighty to 1C0
years. The young birds are driven
forth by their savage parents to
scratch for themselves as soon as they
are able to fly. No training is given
them by the old bird. That is left to
their wild instincts, which hunger and
necessity develop. There is no going
''5acll to the old home" for the young
eagle. The mother bird tears up
every yestige Of the nest where they
have thriyen since birth, and while
they emit plairtive shrieks the old
bird darts at them and pushes them
Oft the crags OF rocks, and to prevent
falling they must take to their wings,
and this is how they learn to fly. 1t
takes three years for young eagle to
gain its full and complete plumage
and strength.
If the male bird be the stronger,
the most of the prey belongs to him,
and he allows the female tosseat a pal
try share between fierce thrusts of his
beak at her. II the female is the
stronger (ond she generally isl, the
male bird covers and winces under
many fierce blows from his unfeeling
wife, 10 matter how snail the morsel
he gets. But when danger threatens,
no human pair can battle go fercely
for each other as con two eagles. Tie
breeding season begins about March,
and each male has but one mate dur
ing his entire life. II the female is
killed or captured. the surviving male
becomes an eagle hermit and tiercer
than ever.
They arc often seen near their
nests together, and when the sun is
shining take their majestic flights
straight toward that great ball Of fire
until they disappear from sight. Sit
ting upon the mountain side, their
vision IS SO heen that they can see far
down the valley sheep or young
goat, big turkey or rooster, a small
pig, rabbit, or large bird, and almost
in the twinkling Of en- eye they de-
scend suddenly upon their victim.
One mighty grasp and a twist Of their
talons and the victim is dead, long be.
fore the eagle lays it down for repast.
An eagle can live two and three days,
and even five days, upon q gorging
meal. They prey upon all sorts of
large birds, fish, lambs, kids and
goats. Oftentimes when large calf
or goat is to be attacked and carried
off, four or six OF them will unite and
carry off the carcass, when they will
Immediately begin to fight it out to
see which of them is entitled to the
choicest bits, and it is truly q survival
of the fttest in such combets as these.
An eagle is always fully confident of
his strength, and rarely overreaches
himself in his rapacious desire for
! nrpv The minntannsq Of their vision