. The birds of California : a complete, scientific and popular account of the 580 species and subspecies of birds found in the state. Birds; Birds. on cliff or tree. The eagle eye is proverbial, little happening along the beach for a mile either way of which the bird does not take account. There can be little doubt, either, that His Majesty helps himself freely to sea-birds. In seeing an Eagle soaring aloft in leisurely cir- cles, an observer might not suspect the light- ning speed of which it is capable. The bird's very size serves to disguise its speed, as in the case of an ocean liner. Prob
. The birds of California : a complete, scientific and popular account of the 580 species and subspecies of birds found in the state. Birds; Birds. on cliff or tree. The eagle eye is proverbial, little happening along the beach for a mile either way of which the bird does not take account. There can be little doubt, either, that His Majesty helps himself freely to sea-birds. In seeing an Eagle soaring aloft in leisurely cir- cles, an observer might not suspect the light- ning speed of which it is capable. The bird's very size serves to disguise its speed, as in the case of an ocean liner. Probably there is no sea-fowl which can escape the Halisee- tine desire, save by diving, and not always then, for the Eagle has perfected a ruthless follow-up system, and strikes as often as the diver appears at the surface for breath, until his end is gained. The gulls stand in mortal awe of the Bald Eagle, and I have heard a breeding colony of them utter a multitudinous wail of apprehension, which made the heart of the human listener stand still. Protest is idle, however. As well might the apples on the bough protest the hand of the picker. Not impossibly the gentle Eagle is forsaking this ancient sport for the more profitable task of sheep-raising. At least in lambing time his services as accoucheur are said to be in con- stant requisition. I don't know. I never witnessed anything overt myself; but the presence of two carcasses of lambs a long while dead in the substructure of an eagle's nest on Santa Cruz Island, looked, to say the least, "mighty ; On the other hand, Mr. Howland, for fifteen years a resident on San Clemente, told Mr. Howell that he had never seen an Eagle carrying a lamb but once, and that one had died a natural death; and he felt quite sure that the birds did not molest his sheep at all. Nidification begins early, but not nearly so early as in Florida and along the Gulf Coast, where eggs are said to be laid in December, or even. Taken on S
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1923
