The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-05-24
CAPTURING AN EAGLE.
A Young Bird That Was Caught For
Pet In southern Arizona.


Beard writes of "Moses, "a Tame
Eagle" one of his pets while he was
engaged in engineering in southern
Arizona. Mr.. Beard gives the follow
ing account of its capture;
saw ON the rounded top of one of
the giant cacti with which these des-
erts are thickly studded an eagle the
like of which, though familiar with the
fowls of that region, had never before
seen, and may here add that we never
did with any certainty discover the
species to which she belonged. rode
near to get better view, but she de-
sired no closer acquaintance, for, after
unfolding her wings once or twice in a
hesitating sort of manner as / APP
preached, she finally spread them and
flew heavily away, couple OF pistol
shots from the wagon having only the
effect of increasing her speed. The cac-
tus on which she had been resting was
a very fair sample of the largest variety
in the world of that interesting plant
OF the thickness of mans body, it
rose straight from the ground beauti-
fui fluted column of vivid apple green,
to height of 90 feet, where a cluster of
branches nearly as thick as the parent
stem grew out from it and turned up
ward, while the main trunk, without a
bend rose several feet higher.
Between two of these branches and
the trunk there was built nest of good
sized sticks, about twice as large as a
bushel basket and OH this my eyes hap
pened to be resting when the noise Of
the shots brought above its edge little
head covered with grayish yellow fuzz,
out of which peercd two big round eyes
with an air of anxious inquiry
In that desert country, far from rail.
ways and towns, we led rather dull
lives, so the several pets we possessed
in the big permanent camp miles away
served in no small measure TO amuse
young friend of the cactus. But how to
get him down was a problem.
| Somebody suggested that volunteer
climb the cactus, but no one thrust
| himself forward TO do so. The Spanish
name by which it is known is sujuarro,
which, put into English, means that
which scratches" and as the spine
which thickly cover the cutter edges Of
the ridges are from one to four inches
long aid as sharp as needles it will he
seen that the name gives good idea CT
the plalt.
We uid not like to cut it down, foi
fear the fall might injure the fledgl'ng,
but after some debate no better method
presented itself, so the two axmen sol
to work. AS the first blows made the
green shaft trembe, the head appeared
once more, trying, with an expression
of concern, to see what was going Oh
below, but this the thick sides of the
nest prevented. Then it looked at m'
and said, "Jarkp' This was the frs
remark Moses ever made to us and there
was no time for more then, for the axe
had eaten through the pulpy mass
which now began to bend to its fall.
AS the nest tilted we could see tn,
thick body belonging to the head, witt
two big claws clutching wildly, Will
the weak, featherless wings f1appe'
madly in an instructive effort to supper
their owner.
The cactus came down with crash
and, running up, we looked for our bird
but only little gray down was visible
with one leg helplessly extended from
under big branch which, broken b.
the shock, had fallen across and almos
, hid him. We feared he was killed, bu
I when by means of an axhead hooke'
. around the prickly stuff it was pulle'
aside he gathered himself together
quite unhurt, and then, surveying tn
strange beings who surrounded him
made up his mind to them with tina
philosophy we later learned to be on
, of his traits, and opening his grea
, mouth to its fullest extent limited tina
he was hungry and wanted something
to eat.