8. That she would not at all hatch her Young, did she not bring the Eagles stone [Aëtites] into her Nest, which is of wonderful vertue in promoting exclusion.
9. That when the Young are sick, and cannot concoct more solid food, by reason of the weakness of their stomachs, the old ones suck the bloud out of their prey, and feed them therewith.
10. That in extreme old age, when their Beaks by reason of their driness are grown so crooked that they cannot feed, they sustain themselves for some time by drinking.
11. That the old ones when they see their young fledged and ready to fly, do car∣ry them up a height, and then let them go, admonishing them as it were by their own peril to make use of their Wings, and by flying through the Air to save themselves from falling. If after they have let them go they fall down to the ground, up they take them again, often repeating this kind of exercise.
12. That she hath an extraordinary care of her Talons, lest by any means they should be blunted. Hereupon in walking she always draws them up, and turns them inwards, refuses to walk in stony places, lest perchance she should wear their points. And if she happens to sit or walk upon Rocks, she spreads under her feet the skins of such Animals as she hath kill'd, lest her Talons should be hurt. Yea so careful is she of them, that where ever she sits, unless she eyes the Sun or her prey, she is always look∣ing at them; fearing lest they should grow too crooked. And if by chance they be blunted, she sharpens them with her Bill, or whets them upon stones, to render them fitter for preying.
13. That when she is enfeebled with old age, she flies as high as ever she can above the Clouds, till the dimness of her eye-sight be consumed by the heat of the Sun; then presently descending with all her force, while she is yet in the extremity of heat, she drenches her self three times in the coldest water she can find, and rising up thence streightway betakes her self to her Nest, where among her young now fit for prey∣ing, falling into a kind of Fever, with a sweat she casts her feathers; and is by them carefully nursed up and fed, till she recover her plumage again.
14. Whereas the greatest part of Birds either of fear or wonder, fly after the Owl, she not thinking such carriage to become a Kingly bird, is nothing moved with that spectacle.
Of the latter kind are these.
1. That she doth so excel in quick-sightedness, that soaring so high in the air, that she can very hardly be discerned by us in all that light, yet she can espy a Hare lying under a bush, or a little Fish swimming in the water. Though I grant that both the Eagle and other Rapacious birds are very sharp-sighted, yet do I not think that, their eyes can reach objects at such distances.
2. That she is indocile and uncapable of Discipline, and not to be tamed by any hu∣mane endeavour: But is only carried on headlong by her natural inclination and impe∣tus. This is not universally true. For we have heard of Eagles that have been reclaimed and trained up for fowling. Though it he rarely done.
3. That her breath smells very ill, so that by reason of the pestiferous stench thereof, the bodies that are blown upon by her do easily putrefic and corrupt.
4. That she is very greedy and almost unsatiable: and therefore if at any time she endures hunger, (of which she is most patient) she recompenses her long fasting by abundant eating and gorging her self. And if her prey be so great and copious that any thing remains when she is satiated, she leaves that to the other birds, which use to follow her in expectation thereof.
5. That almost all Birds of prey live without ever drinking; yet is their belly al∣ways loose, and their Excrements fluid. For the bloud of the Animals they kill affords them liquor enough for the concoction and digestion of their meat.
6. That it is very venereous. For the Female being trodden thirteen times a day, yet if the Male doth but call, runs to him again. Now whereas all salacious crea∣tures are thought to be short-lived, one may justly wonder, that the Eagle should be the most lustful, and yet withal the most vivacious of Birds.
7. When their young ones are grown up, and come to that age and strength, that that they can without the help of their Parents get themselves meat, they drive them far away from their Nests; nay, they will not suffer them to abide so much as in the same Country.
8. Nature hath given the Eagle very thick, hard, and almost solid bones, and in which there is but very little marrow.