--- Deborah wrote: > I read somewhere (too long ago to have _any_ idea > where) that people in the Eurasian steppes (can't > remember if it was Hun- or Mongol- types) used to > hunt wolves with golden eagles: the eagles' > talon-pressure > generates some ridiculous pounds-per-square-inch > (sorry Alberto :D) that is capable of snapping a > wolf's spine (or maybe it was neck?).
According to this site, 1000 pounds per square inch with each foot: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-cp/cb/Feb2000/Eagle.html OK, it wasn't spine-cracking, but spine-grabbing: "And still, the hunting of wolves with the Golden Eagle was a reality in the past. Some berkutchi dynasties...needed warm clothes, trained their birds and organised wolf-hunts... Aiming for the wolf-pelts, the falconers used special methods from the very beginning of a bird�s training, targeted exclusively to prepare it for casting at wolves. The bird was specially trained to attack a stuffed wolf. It had to take the animal, as the hunters said, �at the place� - i.e. with one foot at the back of the neck and another at the flank closer to the heart and lungs. Then the bird must quickly peck out the wolf�s eyes with its powerful beak... As the wolf, being a strong, formidable beast, is capable of resisting even the best-trained bird, the falconer always keeps near, ready at the first opportunity to help the eagle..." http://proeco.visti.net/naturalist/falconry/geagl.htm <scratching head> Now I'm wondering if my recollection was from a historical romance/horror novel, because I'm also remembering that children in wolf-pelts were used to train the eagles to hunt wolves... <shudder> Sounds like something ol' Vlad Tepes (?sp) might have done...or our man of the month SH. To Borrow A "Friends" Phrase - Eeuww! Maru __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Faith Hill - Exclusive Performances, Videos & More http://faith.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
