Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1901-10-17
TWO EAGLES WHIP A BEAR.
Novel Fight over the Possession a
Huge sturgeon THAT Was
Washed Ashore.

|
eagles and a bear few persons have
seen, aud the sportiest sport on the
| turf would hardly know on which to
bet in such a combat. Hans Larsen, a
| Norwegian fisherman who has been
| fishing for salmon in the Columbia
near Eagle Cliff this season, saw des.
perate fight between two fine bald
eagles that had their nest not far from
his camp and a half-grown bear. The
eagles won, says the Portland Orego.
| nian.
A huge sturgeon had been washed
up on the river bank, and the eagles
were using il to feed their Young. One
morning the eagles were serving bronx.
fast 10 their young and one of them
had flown up to the nest with lot
OF pieces OF sturgeon and the other
was tearing away at the huge fish.
when the bear came crashing through
the brush TO find the sturgeon he had
scented. Bruin walked straight up TO
the fish. But the eagle was not TO be
scared, and he tapped his wings and
stood on the defensive.
Big, fat sturgeon do not come ashore
along the Columbia so frequently as
they used TO. and the carcass of this
one was a prize, and it rightfully be.
longed TO the eagles as the original
discoverers. The bear paused a mo.
ment and then rushed at the eagle
which gracefully eluded him. and, soar
ng short distance in the air
screamed bloody murder a a signal TO
his mate She came swooping down
from the nest and Joined forces with
her mate in an attack on the bear,
which was so busy tearing the stur.
gcon that he paid no attention to the
royal birds till they landed ike thun-
dcrbolts Oh his neck and rump and
sank their talons In his flesh.
The talons of a full-grown eagle are
not TO bc sneeZed al, even by a bear,
and the howl OF rage Bruin let out
showed that he had been both panied
and hurt. lie reared up on his
launches and c.awed savagely at the
birds, which whirled agilely about him.
One would make a dash at his face and
eyes and the other would hit him in the
ten minutes or SO the bear stood NJ
60 the scratch" and when he had
scratching enough he began to show
signs OF wanting TO get away. He did
not exactly show the white feather
for the eagles had all the white feath.
ers, but he began edging of toward the
brush, which was 30 feet distant.
A l.. oil . h..
eagles were on him, and he would have
go get on his launches 10 use his paws
effectively The blood was streaming
down his face and showed In spots all
over his GLOSSY hide, but the great OBJ
jet OF the eagles appeared TO be 10 get
at Bruins eyes. and he seemed 20 be
aware OF this and was very anxious
brush. The eagles were evidently just
as anxious 10 prevent this when
Bruin turned his head toward the
bushes they would plump down on his
head and try 10 sink their talons IN
his eyes or TO dig them out with their
sharp beaks and drum his ears with
their strong pinions until the poor
All this time Larsen was sitting
quietly in his boat watching what h,
SAYS was the most savage and enter.
tanning fight he has ever seen. 1t was
he judges. nearly half an hour from the
time the bear came out Of the brush
tin he was able to drag himself back
under it's friendly cover, where the
eagles could not get at him, and he was
the most dilapidateG-looking bear i'm.
aginable. The eagles few up on a tree
and smoothed their rufiled plumage
and congratulated each other on the
outcome Of the struggle. Then, as
their eaglets were squawhing for more
breakfast, they resumed their work OF
carving and serving their sturgeon
and until IL was all used up, which took
several days, no animal offered 10 APP.
preach It, in the daytime at least.