“Perhaps,” said Uncle Thomas, “the Eagle had missed its aim when it pounced upon its prey, and thus held it insecurely, for so powerful is the force with which it darts upon its object, that it usually kills its victim at one blow. When it fails to do this, a contest generally ensues; and powerful as the Eagle is, it does not always come off successful. On one occasion, one was observed to pounce down upon a Cat. The latter darted its sharp claws into the Eagle and clung so that it could not be shaken off. It mounted into the air, but still puss held securely, and on descending to the ground the struggle continued, until some persons who witnessed the attack came up and captured both of the combatants.
“A contest, somewhat of the same kind,” continued Uncle Thomas, “was observed between an Otter and an Eagle. It was witnessed by a party of gentlemen who were enjoying the amusement of fishing in one of the Scottish Lakes. An Eagle, hovering over the lake, descried an Otter sleeping on the sunny side of a bank near the water’s edge, and pounced upon it. Thus attacked, the Otter stood on the alert, and prepared to give battle to its assailant, when another Eagle appeared, and joined in the attack. The unfortunate Otter, finding himself assaulted on both sides, immediately retreated to his favourite element. On reaching the water, it attempted to dive, but was powerfully withheld by one of the Eagles, whose talons had been fixed in his skin, which made him redouble his exertions for life and liberty. In this way the combat was long and amusing, till the Eagle, finding his claws fairly disengaged, and little used to combat on such an element, precipitately beat a retreat, and retired with his companion to his native mountains.”
“I have heard Mama say that there is a tame Eagle at —— Castle; I wonder how such a wild creature can be tamed!” remarked Jane.
“There have been frequent instances of the Eagle being tamed,” said Uncle Thomas, “and sometimes even when taken after having arrived at maturity. One of this sort, which was taken in Ireland, had its wings cut, and was put into a large garden, where it soon became domesticated. Its wings gradually grew again, and the Eagle sometimes flew away for a fortnight at a time, but always returned. The children of the family frequently met it in their walks about the garden, but it never offered them any molestation. It once, however, attacked its master; it is supposed in consequence of his neglecting to bring its accustomed supply of food. After living ten or twelve years in this manner it one day quarrelled with a large mastiff. The fight must have been long and obstinate, but no one witnessed it. The Eagle was killed, and so severely was the Dog wounded that it died almost immediately afterwards.
“In Norway,” continued Uncle Thomas, “the people represent the Eagle as very sagacious, and as using the most curious devices to secure its prey. It is said, for instance, to attack and overcome Oxen in the following manner. It plunges into the sea, and after being completely drenched, rolls itself on the shore till its wings are quite covered with sand. It then rises into the air, and hovers over its unfortunate victim, and, when close to it, shakes its wings, and throws stones and sand into the eyes of the Ox; and, having thus blinded it, terrifies the animal by striking it with its powerful wings. The poor Ox runs about quite desperate, and at length falls down completely exhausted, or dashes itself to death by falling over some cliff. The Eagle then feasts undisturbed on his prey.”
“It is a very sagacious stratagem indeed,” said Mary; “I really do not see how it could proceed more efficiently if it was endowed with reason.
“But is it true?” asked Harry.
“You are right Harry,” said Uncle Thomas; “that ought always to be the first consideration. So much fable has been mixed up with the accounts of the habits of animals that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the true from the false. In the present case, for instance, the fact rests on the statement of a traveller named Von Buch, who assures us that the circumstance was related to him, in nearly the same terms, at places distant from each other. But, on the other hand, it is so contrary to the general habits of the Eagle that it seems most unlikely to be true; besides, if the Eagle were to suffer its feathers to be drenched in the way described, it would be unable to fly, and would soon suffer for its hardihood by being drowned.”
“Would it, indeed, Uncle Thomas?” asked Jane; “Swans and Geese go into the water, and are not drowned.”
“No, my dear, they are not,” said Uncle Thomas; “because their habits rendering it necessary for them to spend much of their time in water, the Creator has furnished them with an abundant supply of oily matter, with which they cover their feathers, so as to prevent the moisture from penetrating them; but Birds which are not intended to inhabit the water are not so provided, and would soon become unable to fly, even if they remained exposed to a severe shower of rain, without seeking shelter. The Osprey, or Sea-Eagle, which feeds upon fish which it catches in the sea, is provided in this manner; but then it could not be true of the Osprey either, because for this reason, the water does not saturate its feathers, and the sand would not adhere to them.”