NESHER ()Ci.)). This term is used in Scrip ture to designate birds both of the eagle and of the vulture genus. It is derived from a root signifying to tear with the beak ; Arab..,,,,), whence ] mansir, a bird of prey), and might there fore be used of birds of prey generally. It is used chiefly of the eagle generically (Exod. xix. ˘ ; Dent. xxxii. I 1 ; 2 Sam. i. 23 ; Job ix. 26 ; xxxix. 27 ; Prov. xxiii. 5, etc.) ; but in cases where the Nesher is distinguished from others of the genus .aizaa, as in Lev. xi. 15 ; Deut. xiv. 12, it is pro bably the golden eagle that is intended.
The EAGLE, in zoology, forms a family of several genera of birds of prey, mostly distinguished for their size, courage, powers of flight, and arms for attack. The bill is strong, and bent into a plain pointed hook, without the notch in the inner curve which characterises falcons ; the nostrils are covered with a naked cere or skin, of a yellow or a blue colour ; the eyes are lateral, sunken, or placed beneath an overhanging brow ; the head and neck covered with abundance of longish, narrow-pointed feathers ; the chest broad, and the legs and thighs exceedingly stout and sinewy. Eagles, properly so called, constitute the genus Aquila, and have the tarsi feathered down to the toes ; they are clothed in general with brownish and rust-coloured feathers, and the tail is black, grey, or deep brown. Sea eagles (genus Haliceteens) have the tarsi or legs half bare and covered with horny scales ; not unusually the head, back, and tail more or less white. The larger species of both measure, from head to tip of tail, 3 feet 6 inches or more, and spread their wings above 7 feet 6 inches ; but these are proportionably broad to their length : for it is the third quill feather which is the longest ; as if the Creator intended to restrain within bounds their rapidity of flight, while by their breadth the power of continuing on the wing is little or not at all impeded. The claws of the fore and hind toe are particularly strong and sharp ; in the sea-eagles they form more than half a circle, and in length measure from i2 to t4 of an inch. These majestic birds have then abode in Europe, on the shores of the Mediterranean, in Syria, and Arabia, wherever there are vast woody mountains and lofty cliffs : they occupy each a single district, always by pairs, excepting on the coasts, where the sea-eagle and the osprey (Pandion halicetus) may be found not remote from the region possessed by the rough-legged eagles—the first because it seeks to subsist on the industry of the second, and does not interfere with the prey of the third. It is in this last genus, most generally re presented by the golden eagle (aquila chrysea), that the most powerful and largest birds are found. That species in its more juvenile plumage, known as the ring-tailed eagle, the imperial eagle, or mogilnick (eq. hcliaca), and the booted eagle (aq. pinnate) is found in Syria ; and at least one species of the sea-eagles (the hal. ossifrapts, albicilla, or albicaudus) frequents the coasts, and is even of stronger wing than the others. These build usually
in the cliffs of Phoenicia, while the others are more commonly domiciliated within the mountains. Ac cording to their strength and habits the former sub sist on antelopes, hares, hyrax, bustard, stork, tortoises, and serpents ; and the latter usually on fish ; both pursue the catta (pterocles), partridge, and lizard. The osprey alone being migratory retires to Southern Arabia in winter. None, excepting the last-mentioned, are so exclusively averse to carrion as is commonly asserted : from choice or necessity they all, but in particular the sea-eagles, occasionally feed upon carcases of horses, etc.; and it is well known in the East that they follow armies for that purpose. Hence the allusions in Job and Matt. xxiv. 2S, though vultures may be included, are perfectly correct. So again are those which refer to the eagle's eyrie, fixed in the most elevated cliffs. The swiftness of this bird, stooping among a flock of wild geese, with the rushing sound of a whirlwind, we have witnessed ; and all know its towdring flight, suspended on its broad wings among the clouds with little motion or effort. Thus the predictions, in which terrible nations coming from afar are assimilated to eagles, have a poetical and absolute truth, since there are species, like the golden, which really inhabit the whole circumfer ence of the earth, and the nations alluded to bore eagles' wings for standards, and for ornaments on their shields, helmets, and shoulders. In the northern half of Asia, and among all the Turkish races, this practice is not entirely abandoned at this day, and eagle ensigns were constantly the com panions of the dragons. China, India, Bactria, Persia, Egypt, the successors of Alexander, the• Etruscans, the Romans, the Celle, and the Arabs, had eagle signa of carved work, of metal, or the skins of birds, stuffed, and set up as if they were living. These, named tyy art, deros, aquila, eryx, simurg, humma or humaion, karakoosh (the birds of victory of different nations and periods of anti quity), were always symbolical of rapid irresistible conquest. A black eagle was the ensign of Kalid, general of Mohammed, at the battle of Aisnadin, and the carved eagle still seen on the walls of the citadel of Cairo, set up by Karakoosh, the vizir of Salahed-deen, to commemorate his own name and administration, indicates a species not here enume rated. Aq. heliaca, here figured, is the species most common in Syria, and is distinguished from the others by a spot of white feathers on each shoulder.—C. II. S.' The VULTURE seems to he referred to in Micah. i. 16, where baldness is ascribed to the Nesher; the bird here referred to is probably the Vultur barbatus of zoology. It is not so certain that the vulture is referred to where allusion is made (as in Job xxxix. 3o ; Prov. xxxvi. 17) to the bird as feeding on carrion ; for though the eagle usually, kills its own food, it does not invariably refuse to feed on dead bodies (comp. Matt. xxiv. 2S).