in heraldry. See Falco.

heraldry, is accounted one of the most noble bearings in armoury; and, according to the learned in this science, ought to be given to none but such as greatly excel in the virtues of generosity and courage, or for having done singular services to their sovereigns; in which cases they may be allowed a whole eagle, or an eagle naisant, or only the head or other parts thereof, as may be most agreeable to their exploits.

The eagle has been borne, by way of ensign or standard, by several nations. The first who seem to have assumed the eagle are the Persians; according to the testimony of Xenophon. Afterwards, it was taken by the Romans; who, after a great variety of standards, at length fixed on the eagle, in the second year of the consulate of C. Marius: till that time, they used indifferently wolves, leopards, and eagles, according to the humour of the commander.

The Roman eagles, it must be observed, were not painted on a cloth or flag; but were figures in relief, of silver or gold, borne on the tops of pikes; the wings being displayed, and frequently a thunder-bolt in their talons. Under the eagle on the pike, were piled bucklers, and sometimes crowns. Thus much we learn from the medals.

Constantine is said to have first introduced the eagle with two heads, to intimate, that though the empire seemed divided, it was yet only one body. Others say, that it was Charlemagne who resumed the eagle as the Roman ensign, and added to it a second head; but that opinion is destroyed, by an eagle with two heads, noted by Lipsius, on the Antonine column; as also by the eagle's only having one head on the seal of the golden bull of the emperor Charles IV. The conjecture, therefore, of F. Menefrier appears more probable, who maintains, that as the emperors of the east when there were two on the throne at the same time, struck their coins with the impression of a cross, with a double traverse, which each of them held in one hand, as being the symbol of the Christians; the like they did with the eagle in their ensigns; and instead of doubling their eagles, they joined them together, and represented them with two heads. In which they were followed by the emperors of the West.

F. Papebroche wishes that this conjecture of Menefrier were confirmed by ancient coins; without which, he rather inclines to think the use of the eagle with two heads to be merely arbitrary; though he grants it probable, that it was first introduced on occasion of two emperors in the same throne.

The eagle on medals, according to M. Spanheim, is a symbol of divinity and providence; and, according to all other antiquities, of empire. The princes on whose medals it is most usually found, are the Ptolemies and the Seleucids of Syria. An eagle with the word consecratio, expresses the apotheosis of an emperor.

Eagles, a name found very frequently in the ancient histories of Ireland, and used to express a sort of base money that was current in that kingdom in the first years of the reign of Edward I. that is, about the year 1272. There were, besides the eagles, liones, rofades, and many other coins of the same sort, named according to the figures they were impressed with.

The current coin of the kingdom was at that time a composition of copper and silver, in a determined proportion, but these were so much worse than the standard proportion of that time, that they were not intrinsically worth quite half so much as the others. They were imported out of France and other foreign countries. When this prince had been a few years established on the throne, he set up mints in Ireland for the coining sufficient quantities of good money, and then decreed the use of these eagles, and other like kinds of base coins, and made it death, with confiscation of effects, to import any more of them into the kingdom.

astronomy, is a constellation of the northern hemisphere, having its right wing contiguous to the equinoctial. See Aquila.

There are also three several stars, particularly denominated among the Arab astronomers, nafr, i.e. "eagle." The first, nafr sabail, the "eagle of canopus," called also fitareb jemen, the star of Arabia Felix, over which it is supposed to preside; the second, nafr althair, the "flying eagle;" and the third, nafr alwak, the "resting eagle."

White Eagle, is a Polish order of knighthood, instituted in 1325 by Uladislaus V. on marrying his son Casimir. Casimir with a daughter of the great-duc of Lithuania.

The knights of this order were distinguished by a gold chain, which they wore on the stomach, whereon hung a silver eagle crowned.

Black Eagle, was a like order, instituted in 1701 by the elector of Brandenburgh, on his being crowned king of Prussia.

The knights of this order wear an orange-coloured ribbon, to which is suspended a black eagle.

architecture, is a figure of that bird anciently used as an attribute, or cognizance of Jupiter, in the capital and friezes of the columns of temples consecrated to that god.

Eagle Flower. See Balsamine.

Eagle Stone, in natural history, a stone, by the Greeks called etites, and by the Italians pietra d'aquila, as being supposed to be sometimes found in the eagle's nest. It is of famous traditional virtue, either for forwarding or preventing the delivery of women in labour, according as it is applied above or below the womb. Matthiolus tells us, that birds of prey could never hatch their young without it, and that they go in search for it as far as the East Indies. Bauich has an express Latin treatise on the subject. See Etites.