EAGLES TEACHING THEIR FOUNG.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 4697, 19 November 1889, Page 3

EAGLES TEACHING THEIR FOUNG.

A short lime ago (siys a correspondent of the Firlit) Mr G. Barrow, of tho Geological Survey of Scotland, who is surveying the district of Ayllli, N 8., saw, when in tho highest point of my deer fjrost (Glcncally), two golden codes living towards him, and cm their approaching nearer ho perceired that one of them was tarrying what appeared to bu a bsll in its tallnns.* When they came Io a Urgo soft pioiio of ground, which seemed to suit their purpose, cni bird remained living round and round close to lhe ground, while tho other, c.irryi"g the ball, mounted to a C'lrijideni'ilo he'glit, when it let it drop • but nfler it (Iho ball) had Mien a little way, the bird sweoped down and caught it, nnd took it up aqain, and again dropped it, an:l again raujht it. This occurred three or f->ur times, till nt length, on being dropped, the bi'l opened its wingi, nnd Mr Harrow p.r-eived if w,n u young eagle, which had slcidif I itself in its fall. Tho parent bird, who hid drnpp.-d if, did not attempt torati-h it this lime, but allowed it to lower itself, and Iho other parent bird caught it with its tai'ini before if quite readied the ground. These tacticj having been n.-complished to Iheir Mti'facti >i, theold birds carried their oflViiring back to th-ir nest, in the next foro*t to mine (Caenlochan). Surely the above sliiws the great natural instinct in wild animale— l>., the parent bird tf aching tluir young ono to fly. in cue it might fall out of its nest, whi<-h was hijh up in tho rojks, with a fall of 200ft on to tho rocks below. It is generally supposed that eaglej only strike their quarry on tho ground, but Mr L'wrow not long ngn saw ono of the eagles above referred to strike a plarmip,iin when obout 30ft in tho air, dis'li it to the ground, and then kill it (the bird screamed when on the ground), pick it up, and fly off wilb it.