The Natural History of Ireland/Volume 1/The Golden Eagle

THE GOLDEN EAGLE.


 * Aquila chrysaetos, Lin. (sp.) Footnote 1
 * fulva

Inhabits permanently several of the most lofty and retired mountain ranges throughout Ireland. [2012 note:Extinct in Ireland due to hunting since 1912, efforts are being made to re-introduce the species ]

Distribution, Eyries, Habits, &c.

The collection of my friend, William Sinclaire, Esq. of Belfast, contained a splendid specimen in adult plumage of the golden eagle, which was trapped some years ago on Muckish mountain, in the county of Donegal. In June, 1832, the gamekeeper of Mr. Stewart of " the Horn" Footnote 2. informed me when there, that since he entered on his present occupation in 1828, he had destroyed thirteen or fourteen eagles, of winch a single individual only was of this species : it was taken on one of the inland ountains of the Horn. When visiting about the same time the precipitous mountain of Rosheen, near Dunfanaghy, in that county, I was told that for a long time previous to the preceding twelve years, a pair of eagles had built their eyrie in one of the inaccessible cliffs.The situation selected for this eyrie indicates that the species was most probably the golden eagle." Footnote 3


 * [One of these birds, shot at the end of November, 1837, in the county of Londonderry, has come under my notice.]

In October, 1833, when looking over a collection of the British Falconida belonging to Wm. Sinclaire, Esq. with Mr. Adams, lately gamekeeper at Glenarm Park (county of Antrim), he at once recognised a golden eagle as the species of which he had killed four individuals in that locality. Only one sea eagle was obtained within the same period at Glenarm Park. On the 14th of Oct., 1835, I saw an adult specimen of the golden eagle, which was trapped the day before at Claggan (Antrim). It was accompanied by two others, but the attempt to capture them was unsuccessful.

By the late Dr. M'Donnell and another friend, both of whom well recollected the circumstance, I have been assured that the plan adopted by the Kerry peasant for supporting his family in a season of scarcity Footnote 4 was successfully resorted to about thirty years ago at Glenariff, in the county of Antrim. One of a pair of eaglets taken from a nest there was so placed, that its parents during the summer supplied it with rabbits and hares in such abundance, that its owner obtained, in addition to what the bird required, a sufficiency of animal food for himself and his family. The old birds did not alight with their prey, but circling for some time above the eaglet, apparently calculating the distance, they dropped the food within the limited reach of its chain.

A sporting friend, who was eye-witness to the fact, assures me that when out hunting among the Belfast mountains many years ago, an eagle, which from the darkness of its plumage he concluded was the golden, appeared above his hounds as they came to fault after a good chase, on the ascent to Devis, the highest of the range. As they came on the scent again, and were at full cry, the eagle for a short time kept above them, but at length advanced, and carried off the hare when at the distance of three or four hundred yards before the hounds.Footnote 5

In the autumn of 1836, the intelligent gamekeeper at Tollymore Park (Down), the seat of the Earl of Eoden, informed me that during the preceding nine years of his residence there, he had never met with the golden eagle among the neighbouring mountains of Mourne. In the summer of 1837, one of these birds was killed in that part of the country.

Mr. W. M'Calla of Roundstone, Connemara (Galway), made in substance the following communication to me in 1841. Golden eagles are not uncommon in that district Footnote 6 but seldom seek their prey in the neighbourhood of villages. Their eyries are generally among inaccessible cliffs in the range of mountains called the Twelve Pins ; but, in one instance, a pair bred in the level part of the country, selecting for the purpose a small island in the mountain lakes between Flin's house and Maam.

The Rev. B. J. Clarke remarked, when writing to me in March, 1841, from the wild district of Bermullet (county of Mayo), where he had resided for some time, that, although sea eagles are common there, he had seen the first golden eagle but a few days before : it was on the sand-banks within thirty yards of him. On visiting Achil, off the coast of Mayo, in June, 1834, (accompanied by Robert Ball, Esq. of Dublin,) Lieutenant Reynolds of the Preventive Service, a keen sportsman, and well acquainted with birds, assured, us that one or two pair of golden eagles breed annually in the island. When subsequently on the mountain of Croaghpatrick, which volcano-like terminates in a magnificent cone, and is in elevation the second in Connaught, we for a considerable time observed a pair of these eagles soaring above its summit. In the county of Kerry a few weeks afterwards, an eagle, supposed to be of this species, was seen from the top of Mangerton, which towers above the lakes of Killarney. Mr. Robert Patterson, of Belfast, when visiting this place in the previous autumn, made the following note: — "Near to the little lake called, the Devil's Punch- bowl, we disturbed, four eagles preying on a full- grown sheep; they rose majestically into the air as we approached. The people who were with us supposed that the sheep, being perhaps sickly, had been killed by the eagles, — a supposition corroborated by the quantity of fleece scattered over the ground for some yards in one direction. The flesh of the neck was completely removed, although that of every other part was untouched. We were assured, that two eagles will occasionally pursue a hare, one flying low and coursing it along the ground, the other keeping perpendicularly above the terrified animal, and occasionally changing their places, until the hare is completely wearied out. The same circumstance was mentioned a few days afterwards at Tralee, and again at Monasterevan : my informant in every instance stated the fact, not as a matter of hearsay, but as one which had fallen under his own knowledge." Footnote 7 The golden eagle has now become very scarce in Kerry. Footnote 8

A golden eagle was shot in Westmeath in Feb., 1838, when accompanied by another ; and a fine specimen was in the autumn of 1843 killed at Clontarf, near Dublin. Mr. Robert Davis, jun.,of Clonmel, notices a male bird in the plumage of the second year, as shot at Curraghmore, the seat of the Marquis of Waterford, early in June, 1837 ; and, at the end of the same month, an eyrie situated in the rocks above Counshenane Footnote 9 lake in the Comeragh mountains, county of Waterford, was robbed of an eaglet of this species. On the 21st of April, 1841, he sent persons to the same eyrie to procure eggs, who succeeded in obtaining two, which seemed to be about a fortnight laid, and were very dissimilar in size and appearance. He states that this bird is met with in Knockmeledown, and the Galtee mountains, and is occasionally seen far from its haunts. In the " Fauna of Cork," it is said to breed on the borders of that county, and in Tipperary.

I have never known the eyrie of the golden eagle to be in marine cliffs in Ireland. Mr. Macgillivray, who, in his History of British Birds, gives interesting particulars on this species from personal observation, states, on the authority of Mr. Forbes of South Ronaldshay, that it breeds on the headlands of Orkney (vol. 3, p. 230).

Docility, &c. — In the two excellent works, "Gardens and Menageries of the Zoological Society," and "Illustrations of British Ornithology," the golden eagle is characterized as indocile: in the latter work, Mr. Selby speaks from his own experience of two individuals which were kept by him for some years. But my friend Richard Langtry, Esq. of Fortwilliam, near Belfast, had in 1838 a bird of this species, which was extremely docile and tractable.Footnote 10 It was taken in the summer of that year from a nest in Inverness-shire Footnote 11 and came into his possession about the end of September. This bird at once became attached to its owner, and after being about a month in his possession, was given full liberty, — a high privilege to a golden eagle having the use of its wings, — but which was not abused, as it came to the lure whenever called. It evidently derived much pleasure from the application of the hand to its legs and plumage,, and permitted itself to be handled in any way. As one of the first steps towards training this eagle for the chace, it was hooded after the manner of a hunting hawk, but the practice wa soon abandoned as unnecessary, in consequence of its remaining quiet and contented when carried on the arm of its master. It was unwilling indeed to leave him even to take a flight, unless some special " quarry" was in view. When at liberty for the day, and my friend appeared in sight at any distance, his arm was no sooner held out towards the affectionate bird, than it came hurriedly flying to perch upon it. I have, when in his com-pany, — for it was quite indifferent to the presence of strangers, — seen it fly to him without any food being offered, not less than a dozen times within half an hour. When on the ground, and the lure was thrown comparatively near, this bird preferred running, — which it could do very fast, — to using its wings. It was also fed from the " fist." Live rats were several times turned out of the cage-trap to it; but before getting far away, they were invariably pounced upon. Pour full-grown rats have been taken at a meal; an entire heron, (Ardea cinerea), except the head and legs, was also eaten on one occasion. It differed somewhat in its man-ner of feeding from two sea eagles which were kept along with it; when the head and neck of a goose were offered, the golden eagle eat them wholly, the latter took the flesh off only, leaving the harder parts; and when entire birds were given, the sea eagle plucked many more feathers off than the golden; feathers off [Footnote 12 the latter assimilating to the peregrine falcon in this respect. This golden eagle was more partial to alighting on trees than the sea eagles were. Plying from one group of them to another, it in this manner followed its master about the demesne, indolently remaining as long as possible where it perched, consistently with always keeping him in sight. My friend discontinued any further training of this eagle on account of its boldness, as it flew not only at well-grown cygnets of the tame swan, but at the old birds themselves, which were obliged to take to the water for safety : it also flew at dogs, so that its liberty had to be lessened. This bird has now been for some years in the menagerie of the Royal Zoological Society, Phoenix Park, Dublin. A golden eagle, belonging to Mr. Wm. Sinclaire, was a more familiar bird than a sea eagle in his possession, but being kept in town, its docility was not much put to the proof.

Size and Weight. — The golden eagle is generally represented as larger than the sea eagle, but such specimens of the latter as I have examined, were invariably of superior size to the former, and I speak from comparison of adult individuals of the same sex. A similar remark is made in the "Fauna of Cork." Mr. Sinclaire's birds weight was 7 lbs. 14 oz. The specimen from Donegal in this gentleman's collection weighed on being captured 9 lbs : both of these birds were males. One of those killed in Glenarm Park (sex not noted) weighed 10 lbs. A large female sea eagle obtained in Donegal, and believed to be in her fourth or fifth year, weighed 14 lbs Footnote 13

Irides. — "When visiting in May, 1844, (along with my friend Wm. Ogilby, Esq.,) the magnificent menagerie at Knowsley in Lancashire, the seat of the Earl of Derby, the different coloured irides of two golden eagles attracted my attention ; one, a bird five years old, having them golden, while those of the other, whose age was not known, were of a whitish-brown hue. This is mentioned simply as a fact, and not as anything remarkable, as the irides of birds vary in colour at different ages. But I certainly did not expect so great diversity in the colour of the irides, as was exhibited in a pair of condors at the Surrey Zoological Gardens, in April, 1834 ; those of the male being of a dark dull yellow, while those of the female were of a brilliant red.

Great eagle-cage in the Zoological Gardens, Phoenix Park, Dublin.

More eagles of different species being brought together here than perhaps in any other place, Mr. E. Ball, the Honorary Secretary, Mr. J. V. Stewart, at my request, kindly supplied the following account of them in July, 1845.

"The great eagle-cage in the Garden of the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland is 36 feet long, 16 broad, and 16 high, and was erected at the expense of Sir Philip Crampton, Bart., as a place for the exercise of the large Carnivora, and consequently called a Deambulatorium. It failed in its original object. A tigress placed in it quailed, and seemed most anxious to regain her small den ; a lioness and a leopard had to be forced into it. Sometime afterwards I had seven Eagles placed in it as an experiment, and they seemed to agree perfectly. To these, additions have been made for the last four years, until the number now amounts to 17: viz., 3 Golden, 2 White-headed, and 12 Sea Eagles; for some time a Choka Eagle was of the number, but it has since been removed to a smaller cage. The eagles live together, if not in harmony, at least in a sort of mutual respect towards each other. I know of only one quarrel, and at this I happened to be present. A sea eagle pounced on a golden eagle ; the latter threw itself on its back, when the former with its talons seized it by the legs until it seemed to faint in agony, while the assailant gave forth its loudest barking cry in triumph. I had some difficulty in beating this bird off the other with a pole ; it was removed from the cage. On another occasion, a golden eagle was found in the bath, or large trough in which the eagles delight to roll ; it was supposed by the keeper to have been forced under water by one of the sea eagles, but more probably it got cramped, as the birds seem often to carry their bathing to excess. It is a remarkable fact, that a sea eagle but one year old, seemed to be generally acknowledged as the superior of the whole. This bird seized the first piece of food thrown into the cage as its acknowledged right ; but should any other eagle happen to get possession of it, the food was instantly given up on the approach of the young one, which, when full grown, was about the largest of the flock. The bathing of the eagles alluded to is remarkable. On observing that these birds, which in menageries are generally kept without water, exhibited a great desire to wash themselves, a large vessel was provided : when fresh water is put into this vessel, it is at once occupied by one of them, and surrounded by the others waiting their turn for a dip ; they constantly lie in it for some time until completely wetted."

generic) name, is that of the author quoted. Falco is the Linnean genus. "The black eagle fixes his talons between the deer's horns, and beats its wings constantly about its eyes, which puts the deer to run continually, till it falls into a ditch, or over a precipice, where it dies, and so becomes a prey to this cunning hunter. There are, at the same time, several other eagles of this kind, which flye on both sides of the deer, which frights it extremely, and contributes much to its more sudden destruction." work entitled " The Moor and the Loch ;" and in an article on " Highland Sports," in the Quarterly Review for Dec. 1845, being a review of Scrope's " fiays aDd Nights of Salmon Fishing," p. 103. s parrows have been taken in succession without a feather being plucked off.
 * Footnote 1 An abbreviation of the word species, implying that the specific (and not the
 * Footnote 2 The name given to the peninsula bounding the western entrance to Sheephaven, that terminates in the stupendous promontory of Horn Head
 * Footnote 3 Mr. R. Ball mentions a similar circumstance, in the following note. " In the summer of 1837, I saw a pair of golden eagles in the county of Kerry, that were proprietors of an eyrie in a cliff, from which they for a long time issued to commit predations on the poultry and lambs of the neighbouring peasantry, who in vain endeavoured to get at their nest."
 * Footnote 4 Smith's Kerry, p. 97-
 * Footnote 5 When grouse-shooting on the elevated and romantic mountains attached to Megarnie castle in Perthshire, late in October, 1829, my friend and I were surprised on one occasion by seeing a great number of grouse {Tetrao Scoticus) flying for a considerable distance so low as merely to overtop the heath. Passing us a short way off, they disappeared over an adjoining knoll. Thinking that they had alighted there, we hurried forward with our dogs, and not finding them, we on looking above perceived a golden eagle sailing along in the direction they had flown. This bird was presumed to have caused their unwonted flight, and its slow mode of progression gave us further hope that the grouse might still be near. Expecting them to lie well, in consequence of the eagle's being above, we carefully " beat " the ground for about a mile around, but not a grouse was found ; which, added to the eagle's flight being right onward, left little doubt that they had continued flying for a great distance in the unusual manner described.
 * Footnote 6 Flaherty, in his West or H-Iar Connanght, written in 1684, and published by the Irish Archaeological Society in 1846, remarks at p. 12: — "Here is a kind of black eagle, which kills the deere by grappling him with his claw, and forcing him to run headlong into precipices." The golden eagle being a bold bird, as well as darker coloured than the sea eagle, is, I presume, meant. The deer alluded to must be the stag, or red deer (Cervus elephas). The following note, from Martin's Western Islands, Isle of Lingay, p. 70, is appended by the editor to the quotation given: —
 * Footnote 7 This practice is mentioned in the "Wild sports of the West;" (Letter 19) in the
 * Footnote 8 Mr. R. Chute.
 * Footnote 9 Coumshingaun of Ordnance Survey Map.
 * Footnote 10 Mr. Yarrell (Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 13,) after alluding to Mr. Selby's birds, remarks, that in the menageries of the Garden of the Zoological Society of London, where there are two golden and four white-tailed eagles, the keepers find the former the more tractable of the two species.
 * Footnote 11 At Aberarder, in this county, I saw a golden eagle displayed among the numerous "winged vermin" on the gable end of the shooting lodge, in September, 1842.
 * Footnote 12 Birds up to the size of sparrows are eaten whole by the golden eagle ; three
 * Footnote 13 Mr Stewart