IN THE 1ST THROUGH THE
YARDS. SHEET. 12TH SHEET.
Duck-guns 60 32 25
Double gun 60 20 18
Duck-guns 45 34 34
Double gun 45 26 26
The large guns were loaded with precisely double the charge of the small
gun, which is one-fifth less than that with which they always killed
best.
The paper was nailed up close to a sheet of water, and two men placed to
observe that effect; which was, that the outside shot (that which flew
wide of the paper) appeared to be driven with much more force from the
heavy guns, and, of course, spread a much larger surface.
This proves that although, if both accurately levelled, the difference
between a wild-fowl gun and a small gun, is not so very considerable, at
a single bird; yet, from the immense circle which the large gun spreads,
you have more chances of killing with an indifferent aim; and, of
course, in a flock (as before said) would kill many more birds at a
shot.—_Hawker._
------------------------------------------------------------------------
EAGLE, _s._ A bird of prey. A name given to the larger species of
the Falcon family, differing in little but size from the true
falcons.
[Illustration]
There seem to be three well ascertained native species; the Golden
Eagle, the Osprey, and what we call Eagle, from its frequent occurrence.
The Golden Eagle (_Falco chrysætos_, LINN.; _Le grand Aigle_, BUFF.) is
the largest of the genus; it measures, from the point of the bill to the
extremity of the toes, upwards of three feet; and in breadth, from wing
to wing, above eight; and weighs from sixteen to eighteen pounds. The
male is smaller, and does not weigh more than twelve pounds. The bill is
of a deep blue colour; the cere yellow; the eyes are large, deep, sunk,
and covered by a projecting brow; the iris is of a fine bright yellow,
and sparkles with uncommon lustre. The general colour is deep brown
mixed with tawny on the head and neck; the quills are chocolate, with
white shafts; the tail is black, spotted with ash-colour; the legs are
yellow, and feathered down to the toes, which are very scaly; the claws
are remarkably large—the middle one is two inches in length.
This noble bird is found in various parts of Europe; it abounds most in
warmer regions, and has seldom been met with farther north than the
fifty-fifth degree of latitude. It is known to breed in the mountainous
parts of Ireland: it lays three and sometimes four eggs, of which it
seldom happens that more than two are prolific. Mr. Pennant says there
are instances, though rare, of their having bred in Snowdon Hills. Mr.
Wallis, in his Natural History of Northumberland, says—“it formerly had
its aërie on the highest and steepest part of Cheviot. In the beginning
of January, 1735, a very large one was shot near Warkworth, which
measured, from point to point of its wings, eleven feet and a quarter.”
The Ring-tailed Eagle (_Falco fulvus_, LINN.; _l’Aigle commun_, BUFF.)
is the common eagle of Buffon, and, according to that author, includes
two varieties, the brown and the black eagle; they are both of the same
brown colour, distinguished only by a deeper shade, and are nearly of
the same size: in both, the upper part of the head and neck is mixed
with rust colour, and the base of the larger feathers marked with white;
the bill is of a dark horn colour; the cere of a light yellow; the iris
is hazel; and between the bill and the eye there is a naked skin of a
dirty brown colour; the legs are feathered to the toes, which are
yellow, and the claws black; the tail is distinguished by a white ring,
which covers about two-thirds of its length; the remaining part is
black.
The ring-tailed eagle is more numerous and diffused than the golden
eagle, and prefers more northern climates. It is found in France,
Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, and in America as far north as
Hudson’s Bay.
The White-tailed Eagle, Great Erne, or Cinereous Eagle (_Falco
albicilla_, LINN.; _Le grand Pygargue_, BUFF.) Of this there appears to
be three varieties, which differ chiefly in size, and consist of the
following: the great erne, or cinereous eagle, of Latham and Pennant;
the small erne, or lesser white-tailed eagle; and the white-headed erne,
or bald eagle. The first two are distinguished by their size, and the
last by the whiteness of its head and neck. The white-tailed eagle is
inferior in size to the golden eagle. The beak, cere, and eyes are of a
pale yellow; the space between the beak and the eye is of a blueish
colour, and thinly covered with hair; the sides of the head and neck are
of a pale ash-colour, mixed with reddish brown; the general colour of
the plumage is brown, darkest on the upper part of the head, neck, and
back; the quill feathers are very dark; the breast is irregularly marked
with white spots; the tail is white; the legs, which are of a bright
yellow, are feathered a little below the knees; the claws are black.
This bird inhabits all the northern parts of Europe, and is found in
Scotland and many parts of Great Britain. It is equal in strength and
vigour to the common eagle, but more furious; and is said to drive its
young ones from the nest, after having fed them only a very short time.
It has commonly two or three young, and builds its nest upon lofty
trees.
The Sea Eagle, (_Falco ossifragus_, LINN.; _L’Orfraie_, BUFF.)—This bird
is nearly as large as the Golden Eagle, measuring, in length, three feet
and a half; but its expanded wings do not reach above seven feet. Its
bill is large, much hooked, and of a blueish colour; irides in some
light hazel, in others yellow: a row of strong bristly feathers hangs
down from under his bill next to his throat, whence it has been termed
the Bearded Eagle: the top of the head and back part of the neck are
dark brown, inclining to black; the feathers on the back are variegated
by a lighter brown, with dark edges; the scapulars are pale brown, the
edges nearly white; the breast and belly whitish, with irregular spots
of brown; the tail feathers are dark brown, the outer edges of the
exterior feathers whitish; the quill-feathers and thighs are dusky; the
legs and feet yellow; the claws, which are large, and form a complete
semicircle, are of a shining black.
It is found in various parts of Europe and America. It is said to lay
only two eggs during the whole year, and frequently produces only one
young bird; it is, however, widely dispersed, and was met with at Botany
Island by Captain Cook. It lives chiefly on fish: its usual haunts are
by the sea-shore; it also frequents the borders of large lakes and
rivers; and is said to see so distinctly in the dark, as to be able to
pursue and catch its prey during the night. The story of the eagle,
brought to the ground after a severe conflict with a cat, which it had
seized and taken up into the air with its talons, is very remarkable.
Mr. Barlow, who was an eyewitness of the fact, made a drawing of it,
which he afterwards engraved.
In their native districts these noble birds are generally seen near the
sea-shore, or upon the rocky precipices on the margin of the inland
lakes, from whence they pounce upon the fish while swimming near the
surface of the water. Aquatic birds also become their frequent prey.
They generally choose the most inaccessible cliffs for building their
nests, laying one and sometimes two eggs, entirely white, and nearly the
size of that of a goose; one of these, in Selby’s possession, was laid
by a bird after it had been in confinement twenty years.
* * * * *
Montagu, speaking of the cinereous or sea-eagle, says, “The specimen
from which this description is taken, was killed by Sir Robert
Littleton’s game-keeper in Shropshire. It was accompanied by a letter
from Sir Robert, the purport of which was, that his servant being out
shooting, saw two large birds feeding on the carcase of a sheep, which
appeared recently killed; that having nothing but small snipe-shot with
him, he turned back, intending to go home for larger; that the eagles
then followed him, and frequently came so near, that he concluded they
meant either to attack him or his dogs. Suddenly losing sight of one, he
judged it was very near him behind, and being somewhat alarmed, turned
and shot at it in a hurry; after which the bird flew some hundred yards,
and dropped. On his approach it was vomiting blood; and he killed it
after a struggle of half an hour.” He adds, that it was the larger of
the two.
* * * * *
John Maxwell, Esq., of Ardbraccan, in Ireland, favoured us with two
young birds of this species alive, taken the preceding year on a
mountainous precipice, or craggy cliff, called Slieve Donard, impending
over the sea, in the county of Down. That gentleman informed us that two
men, covered with sackcloth and armed, were lowered by ropes to the
aërie which, with considerable difficulty, they robbed of two young,
leaving only one addled egg behind. The old eagles being so furious as
to create serious alarm, neither the nest nor colour of the egg were
noticed. Some fragments of flesh were in the nest.
The eaglets were covered with a glossy, dark, murry-coloured down. A
basket was attached to the ropes that conveyed the men down: into this
the young birds were put; but from the violence and amazing strength of
the parent birds, they were with difficulty carried off. These birds
were not twelve months old when we received them. On their first
moulting they became much darker, particularly about the breast and
thighs, the latter almost wholly of a dusky black. At two years old, the
base of the bill became yellow; in the third year there was not any
material change. At this time one of them killed and devoured the other,
probably from some neglect in feeding them, as before that event they
lived together in perfect harmony.
* * * * *
From the astonishing height these and some other birds fly, we are led
to believe that they are capable of living in a much lighter atmosphere
than any other animals. From the top of some of the highest mountains in
Scotland, we have seen several of them soaring together at so great a
distance as to appear scarce larger than a swallow. It is said to prey
indiscriminately on land animals, fish, and aquatic birds, and probably
every animal of inferior strength suffers from its rapacity.
Two of this species contending in the air over Loch Lomond, in the
Scottish Highlands, became so firmly grappled to each other by their
talons, that they were precipitated into the water. The uppermost
regained the power of its wings, but the other was taken alive by a
Highlander, who witnessed the scene, and who waited till the wind had
wafted him near the shore. This curious account was received from an
officer who bought the eagle.
* * * * *
Although this is an extremely bold bird, it will not venture to contend
with a dog or a fox in its natural state. An eagle and a fox were
observed to be regaling themselves on the carcase of a goat, that had
fallen down a precipice in the Highlands of Scotland. The latter
frequently obliged the other to desist, and retreat a little, but it was
not sufficiently alarmed to prevent returning; and it occasionally threw
itself into bold and picturesque attitudes of defence, spreading the
wings and tail, and erecting every feather.
* * * * *
Montagu says, “Two living eagles were sent to us from Ireland, and were,
on their arrival at Bristol, detained by an officer of excise, upon a
plea that there was a duty upon all singing-birds. Had this happened on
the other side of the water, it might have been termed an Irish story.
The unfortunate birds would, however, have been starved at the
custom-house, if application had not been made to the head of that
department in the port of Bristol, offering to pay any demand for their
release, if legally detained for their vocal abilities. By this officer
it was most wisely determined, after some consideration, that eagles
could scarcely be considered as singing-birds.”
* * * * *
The eagles in the Isle of Rum have nearly extirpated the stags that used
to abound there.
They generally build in clefts of rocks near the deer forests; and make
great havoc among them, the white hares, and the ptarmigans. Willoughby
gives the following curious account of the nest of this species:—“In
1668, in the woodlands near the River Derwent, in the peak of
Derbyshire, was found an eagle’s nest, made of great sticks, resting one
end on the edge of a rock, the other on two birch trees; upon which was
a layer of rushes, and over them a layer of heath, and upon the heath
rushes again; upon which lay one young one and an addled
egg; and by them a lamb, a hare, and three heath poults.
The nest was about two yards square, and had no hollow in
it.”—_Bewick_—_Montagu_—_Willoughby_—_Selby_—_Pennant._
EAGLE-EYED, _a._ Sharp-sighted as an eagle.
EAGLET, _s._ A young eagle.
EAR, _s._ The whole organ of audition or hearing; the spike of corn,
that part which contains the seeds.
EARTH, _v._ To hide in earth; to force an animal to his concealment
or den—as to earth a fox or badger.
EARWIG, _s._ A sheath-winged insect.
ECARTÉ, _s._ A game at cards.
_Ecarté_ is played by two persons with a pack of thirty-two cards, as at
piquet. It is customary to have two packs, and of different colours for
the sake of distinction. The pack to be first dealt with is placed on
the right hand of the dealer, and the other at his left. Though only two
persons can play at the same time, it is not unusual to admit one or
more into the game, the winner or loser, as may be agreed, resigning his
seat to the next in rotation, and this is called _playing a fool_. The
game consists of five points, unless it be otherwise agreed upon by the
players.