. Cassell's book of birds . ving lived for upwards of a century in con-finement. We learn from Pallas and Eversmann that the Tawny and Golden Eagles are extensively employedby the Bashkirs for hunting purposes. The inhabitants of Mongolia set a high value upon the wingand tail feathers of these birds, offering them to their gods, and also employing them to feathertheir arrows; they never willingly hurt an Eagle, and should such an accident occur, it is despatched BIRDS OF PREY. 13 ivith the utmost promptitude, in order to avoid the anger of the bad spirits. It is a remarkable factthat these st
. Cassell's book of birds . ving lived for upwards of a century in con-finement. We learn from Pallas and Eversmann that the Tawny and Golden Eagles are extensively employedby the Bashkirs for hunting purposes. The inhabitants of Mongolia set a high value upon the wingand tail feathers of these birds, offering them to their gods, and also employing them to feathertheir arrows; they never willingly hurt an Eagle, and should such an accident occur, it is despatched BIRDS OF PREY. 13 ivith the utmost promptitude, in order to avoid the anger of the bad spirits. It is a remarkable factthat these strange superstitions are shared by the American Indians, by whom the body of anEagle, coloured with red paint, and surmounted with the tail of a rattlesnake, is often employed tosymbolise some notable deed of daring. Some tribes regard the plumes as tokens of bravery, placinga feather Upon their heads for every enemy they kill, and, when engaged in war, often fasten thesefeathers to their weapons, or wear them in their THE IMPERIAL EAGLE (Aquila imperialis). THE SPOTTED Spotted Eagle (Aquita navid) is met with in great numbers in Germany, Russia, andsome of the southern parts of our continent; it also inhabits Asia, and during the winter is frequentlyseen in North Africa. This species is not more than from twenty-five to twenty-seven inches inlength, and from five feet four inches to five feet eight inches broad ; the wing measures from eighteento nineteen inches and three-quarters, and the tail from nine and a half to ten inches. In the adultthe plumage is of a uniform brown, darkest and most glossy upon the back ; the back of the head isyellowish red or pale fawn colour; the centre quills are distinctly striped, the upper and lower wing- 14 cassells book of birds. covers bordered with a light shade ; the tail-feathers are numerously striped and mottled, or are of auniform colour, with a light tip ; the upper tail-covers are brownish yellow. In the young birds
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbreh, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds
