ÆTITES, or EAGLE-STONE, in Natural History, a flinty or crustated stone, hollow inside, and containing a nucleus, which, on shaking, rattles within. It was formerly in repute for several extraordinary magical as well as medical powers; such as preventing abortion, discovering thieves, and other ridiculous properties. The word is formed from aeros, eagle, the popular tradition being, that it is found in the eagle's nest, whither it is supposed to be carried while the female
sits, to prevent her eggs from becoming rotten. It is found in various places. Near Trevoux, in France, one can scarcely dig a few feet without finding considerable strata or beds of the coarser or ferruginous kind. They are originally soft, and of the colour of yellow ochre. But the finest and most valued of all the eagle-stones are accidental states of one or other of our common pebbles.