Signification of the word Asniyeh—The Golden Eagle and its habits—The Imperial Eagle—Its solitary mode of life—The Short-toed Eagle—Its domestic habits and fondness for the society of man—The Osprey, or Fishing Eagle—Its mode of catching fish—Its distribution in Palestine.

As to the Eagle, rightly so called, there is little doubt that it is one of the many birds of prey that seem to have been classed under the general title of Asniyeh—the word which in the Authorized Version of the Bible is rendered as Osprey. A similar confusion is observable in the modern Arabic, one word, ogab, being applied indiscriminately to all the Eagles and the large falconidÆ.

The chief of the true Eagles, namely, the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaËtos), is one of the inhabitants of Palestine, and is seen frequently, though never in great numbers. Indeed, its predacious habits unfit it for associating with its kind. Any animal which lives chiefly, if not wholly, by the chase, requires a large district in order to enable it to live, and thus twenty or thirty eagles will be scattered over a district of twice the number of miles. Like the lion among the mammalia, the Eagle leads an almost solitary life, scarcely ever associating with any of its kind except its mate and its young.

The whole of the FalconidÆ, as the family to which the Eagles belong is called, are very destructive birds, gaining their subsistence chiefly by the chase, seldom feeding on carrion except when pressed by hunger, or when the dead animal has only recently been killed.

Herein they form a complete contrast to the vultures, whose usual food is putrefying carrion, and fresh meat the exception.

Destructive though the Eagles may be, they cannot be called cruel birds, for, although they deprive many birds and beasts of life, they effect their purpose with a single blow, sweeping down upon the doomed creature with such lightning velocity, and striking it so fiercely with their death-dealing talons, that almost instantaneous death usually results.

When the Eagle pounces on a bird, the mere shock caused by the stroke of the Eagle's body is almost invariably sufficient to cause death, and the bird, even if a large one—such as the swan, for example—falls dead upon the earth with scarcely a wound.

Smaller birds are carried off in the talons of their pursuers, and are killed by the grip of their tremendous claws, the Eagle in no case making use of its beak for killing its prey. If the great bird carries off a lamb or a hare, it grasps the body firmly with its claws, and then by a sudden exertion of its wonderful strength drives the sharp talons deep into the vitals of its prey, and does not loosen its grasp until the breath of life has fled from its victim.

The structure by means of which the Eagle is enabled to use its talons with such terrible effect is equally beautiful and simple, deserving special mention.

Now, many observant persons have been struck with the curious power possessed by birds which enables them to hold their position upon a branch or perch even while sleeping. In many instances the slumbering bird retains its hold of the perch by a single foot, the other being drawn up and buried in the feathers.

As this grasp is clearly an involuntary one, it is evidently independent of the mere will of the bird, and is due to some peculiar formation.

On removing the skin from the leg of any bird, and separating the muscles from each other, the structure in question is easily seen. The muscles which move the leg and foot, and the tendons, or leaders which form the attachment of the muscles to the bones, are so arranged that whenever the bird bends its leg the foot is forcibly closed, and is opened again when the leg is straightened.

A common chicken, as it walks along, closing its toes as it lifts its foot from the ground and spreading them as the leg is unbent, cannot do otherwise, as the tendons are shortened and lengthened as each step is taken.

It will be seen, therefore, that when a bird falls asleep upon a branch the legs are not only bent, but are pressed downwards by the weight of the body; so that the claws hold the perch with a firm and involuntary grasp which knows no fatigue, and which remains secure as long as the pressure from above keeps the limbs bent.

To return to the Eagle. When, therefore, the bird desires to drive his talons into the body of his prey, he needs only to sink downwards with his whole weight, and the forcible bending of his legs will contract the talons with irresistible force, without the necessity of any muscular exertion.

Exertion, indeed, is never needlessly used by the Eagle, for it is very chary of putting forth its great muscular powers, and unless roused by the sight of prey, or pressed to fly abroad in search of food, will sit upon a tree or point of rock for hours as motionless as a stuffed figure.

The Golden Eagle is a truly magnificent bird in size and appearance. A full-grown female measures about three feet six inches in length, and the expanse of her wings is nine feet. The male bird is smaller by nearly six inches. The colour of the bird is a rich blackish brown on the greater part of the body, the head and neck being covered with feathers of a golden red, which have earned for the bird its customary name.

The Golden Eagle is observed to frequent certain favourite places, and to breed regularly in the same spot, for a long series of years. The nest is always made upon some high place, generally upon a ledge of rock, and is most roughly constructed of sticks.

In hunting for their prey the Eagle and his mate assist each other. It may be also mentioned here that Eagles keep themselves to a single mate, and live together throughout their lives. Should, however, one of them die or be killed, the survivor does not long remain in a state of loneliness, but vanishes from the spot for a longer or shorter time, and then returns with a new mate.

As rabbits and hares, which form a frequent meal for the Eagle, are usually hidden under bushes and trees during the day, the birds are frequently forced to drive them from their place of concealment; this they have been observed to do in a very clever manner. One of the Eagles conceals itself near the cover, and its companion dashes among the bushes, screaming and making such a disturbance that the terrified inmates rush out in hopes of escape, and are immediately pounced upon by the watchful confederate.

The prey is immediately taken to the nest, and distributed to the young after being torn to pieces by the parent birds.

Four or five species of Eagle are known to inhabit Palestine. There is, for example, the Imperial Eagle (Aquila mogilnik), which may be distinguished from the Golden Eagle by a white patch on the shoulders, and the long, lancet-shaped feathers of the head and neck. These feathers are of a fawn colour, and contrast beautifully with the deep black-brown of the back and wings. It is not very often seen, being a bird that loves the forest, and that does not care to leave the shelter of the trees. It is tolerably common in Palestine.

Then there are several of the allied species, of which the best example is perhaps the Short-toed Eagle (CircaËtus cinereus), a bird which is extremely plentiful in the Holy Land—so plentiful indeed that, as Mr. Tristram remarks, there are probably twice as many of the Short-toed Eagles in Palestine as of all the other species put together. The genus to which this bird belongs does not take rank with the true Eagles, but is supposed by systematic naturalists to hold an intermediate place between the true Eagles and the ospreys.

The Short-toed Eagle is seldom a carrion-eater, preferring to kill its prey for itself. It feeds mostly on serpents and other reptiles, and is especially fond of frogs. It is a large and somewhat heavily built bird, lightness and swiftness being far less necessary than strength in taking the animals on which it feeds. It is rather more than two feet in length, and is a decidedly handsome bird, the back being dark brown, and the under parts white, covered with crescent-shaped black spots.