Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-05-01


They Are Captured.
There are many eagles i'll the Tonnes
see mountains, and there are mountain
GERS who are expert catchers of the
young eaglets, who reap rich rewards in
return for their perilous risks and ad-
ventures. Eagles make their eyries
among the clefts and crags of the high
est mountains of the state They are
found on the Stone mountain, the great
Roane, 1896 feet high; the Bald, 5, $50
feet; the Great Smoky range, 6, G36
feet; the Bullhead, 6,612 feet; on the
Unaka, the Big Stone and others, none
of them less than 5000 feet above the
level of the country at their feet
Young eagles bring from $40 to $50,
occasionally 500. Eagles that aye of
some age and Of a great size (suCh are
rarely captured, however, bring as high
as $500 and $500. Eagles which have to
be killed while trying to capture them
are valuable to taXidcrmists, who al
ways find an easy market for great
stuffed eagle. Their feathers, especially
the wing and tail feathers, are sold for
good prices.
The eagle builds its nest upon the top
of a mighty tree growing far up on the
mountain among the myriad of tWining
vines, or i'll the thickcst and almost i'll
accessible growth of bushes and shrubs,
or OH the summit of a high rock. An
eagles nest is a large one always, and
is strongly and comfortably built. Large
sticks and branches are laid together,
nearly fiat, and bound with twiuing
vines. The spacious inside is covered
with hair and MOSES so infinitely woven
together that no wind can enter. The
mother bird lays two eggs, which are
curiosities. The long end tapers down
to point. The color of the egg is Il
ground of brownish red, with many dots
and spots upon it, The egg itself is
proof of the wild and savage parentage.
An eagle lives from so to 100 years.
The young birds are driven forth by
their savage parents to scratch for them
selves 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 ''back to the old
home" for the young eagle. The mother
bird tears up ever vestige of the nest
where they have thriven since birth, and
while they emit plaintive shrieks the
oil bird darts at them and pushes them
off the crags or rocks, and to prevent
falling they must take to their wings,
and this is how they learn to fly. It
takes three years for young eagle to
gain it's full and complete plumage and
strength.
Away up in the mountains the eagle
finds it as hard to gain subsistence as do
the grumblers Of the plain. The precari
BUSINESS of it's existence and the wild
manner in which food is gathered seem
to give the bird ferocity as it grows
older. They range among the mountains
and valleys i'll pairs, their young never
following, but doing the best they can.
The stern, unsocial tyranny, beginning
with the homeless and outcast eaglet, is
continued in later years with their
mates.
If the male bird be the stronger, the
most of the prey belongs to him, and he
allows the female to eat a paltry share
between fierce thrusts of his beak at her
If the female is the stronger (and she
generally isl, the male bird covers and
winces under many a fierce blow from
his unfeeling wife, no matter how small
the morsel he gets. But when danger
threatens, no human pair can battle so
tiercely for each other as can two eagles.
The breeding season begins about March,
and each male has but one mate during
his entire life. If the female is killed
or captured, the surviving male becomes
an eagle hermit and tiercer than ever.
They are often seen near their nests
together, and when the sun is shining
take their majestic flights straight to-
ward that great ball of fire until they
disappear from sight Sitting upon the
mountain side, their vision is so keen
that they can see, far down the valley,
sheep or young goat, a big turkey Or
rooster, a small pig, rabbit, Or large
bird, and almost i'll the twinkling of an
eye they descend suddenly upon their
victim. One mighty grasp and twist
OF their talons and the victim is dead,
long before the eagle lays it down for
repast. An eagle can live two and three
days, and even five days, upon gorg-
ing 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
the carcass, when they will Immediate
ly begin to fight it out to see which of
them is entitled to the choicest bits, and
it is truly a survival of the tittest in
.uch combats as these
Eagles are captured by expert noun
taineers, who spy upon the parent bird
building her nest and wait for the
breeding season. After due time they
scale the mountains, and, we'll armed
for the inevitable fight with the parent
birds, go to these mountain eyries. Of
tentimes four men are required to let
one OF them down steep precipice or
cliff, while two of them, dead shots
with the rifle, shoot and kill the old
birds upon their first approach, for it
fares i'll with the daring robber who at
tempts to secure the young birds with
none to protect but himself. In this way
are many of the old birds killed for the
taXidermists or for feathers, while the
eaglots are borne away and Gagged for
good sale.-Cincinnati Enquirer.
Mr.. Gratebar to Philip.
"Philip," said Mr.. Gratebar, "al-
ways write plainly, so that what you