Nortli America far to the eastward of the Rocky Mountains.
Mr. Audubon saw one on the coast of Labrador, besides
others in various parts of the United States of America.
The Golden Eagle inhabits Iceland, Scandinavia, Russia,
and Germany. In France, according to M. Temminck, it
is not uncommon in the forests of Fontainebleau, and it
breeds in the Alps and Pyrenees. A range still farther to
the southward is attributed to this bird : it is said to exist
in North Africa and Asia Minor.
The flight of the Golden Eagle is described by those who
have witnessed it as majestic and powerful in the extreme;
and from the great strength of the bird, it preys with ease
on fawns, lambs, hares, and other game, very seldom feeding
on fish or carrion, and rarely on anything which it finds
dead. Montagu relates, that “ when sporting in the neighbourhood
of Ben-Lomond, on the summit of the lesser
mountains that form its base, a Red Grouse was wounded,
and flew with difficulty eighty or a hundred paces. An
Eagle, apparently of this species, perceiving the laborious
flight of the Grouse, descended with rapid wing from the
adjacent lofty cliffs before our guns were reloaded, and, in
defiance of the shouts made to deter him, carried off his
prey.-” In another part of the Western Highlands of Scotland,
Montagu “ had an opportunity of witnessing the powers of
the flight of this bird in pursuit of its quarry. An old
Black Cock was sprung, and was instantly pursued by the
Eagle (which must have been on a neighbouring rock unperceived)
across the glen, the breadth of which was at least
two miles. The Eagle made several pounces in view, without
success; but as there was no wood nor cover on the
opposite mountain sufficient to conceal so large a bird as a
Black Grouse, he doubtless forfeited his life to the merciless
tyrant of the rocks.”
Dr. Fleming, who had opportunities of observing these
birds when residing in Zetland, says that they are general depredators,
and in the breeding-season rob the rock birds of
their young, especially the Gulls and Cormorants. This
habit is probably common to both species of British Eagles.
The power of vision in birds is observed to be very extraordinary
; and in none is it more conspicuous than in the
Eagles, and the Falconidce generally. It has been stated
that probably in the whole range of anatomical structure,
no more perfect or more conclusive proofs of design could
be adduced than are to be found in the numerous and beautiful
modifications in the form of various parts of the eyes
of different animals, destined to exercise vision in media
of various degrees of transparency as well as density. The
figure on the right hand of the vignette at the end of this
article represents the circle, composed of fifteen bony plates,
by which the orb of the eye of the Golden Eagle is supported.
These bony plates are capable of slight motion
upon each other. The figure on the left hand in the vignette
represents the crystalline lens of the same b ird ; the
lens being subject to great variety of form in different birds.
In the Eagle, the proportion of the axis to the diameter of
the lens is as three and eight-tenths to five and seven-tenths ;
in the Great Owl, which seeks its prey at twilight, the relative
proportions of the lens are as six and five-tenths to
seven and eight-tenths; and in the Swan, which has to select
its food under water, the proportions of the lens are as
three to three and eight-tenths. Birds have also the power
of altering the degree of the convexity of the cornea. With
numerous modifications of form, aided by delicate muscular
arrangement, birds appear to have the power of obtaining
such variable degrees of extent or intensity of vision as are
most in accordance with their peculiar habits and necessities.