Dragon's Flame, Magical?

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Moreover dragons are born (or at least hatched), which militates against the Maia-theory.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

Moreover dragons are born (or at least hatched), which militates against the Maia-theory.

This is why I thought they are rather similar to Eagles or Ents, about whom we know had some sort of spirits in them, yet they bred, grew and probably also died of old age. Similarly, we don't know, I believe, what kind of "spirits" dwelt inside the Werewolves - I believe it might have been the same. And in all cases, these were NOT maiar.*

Just for reference, that thing I meant about Ents is here (spoken by Manwë to Yavanna):

Originally Posted by Silmarillion; Of Aulë and Yavanna

When the Children awake, then the thought of Yavanna will awake also, and it will summon spirits from afar, and they will go among the kelvar and the olvar, and some will dwell therein.

And we know the Ents could breed, have children, the same goes about Eagles (Gwaihir and his kin were only descendants of Thorondor; and you can check that Landroval is said to be Gwaihir's brother in RotK).

*It remains a question where is the border between animal spirit and this kind of spirit. Because I just thought that the animals, given their nature in M-E, probably also have simply some spirit "summoned from afar", though of different, "lesser" kind (reminds me of Aristotle); and now see, you have eagles, who are messengers of Valar and everything, but you have also let's say hawks, who are not that different from eagles, but they are "only" animals.

[cesar.ewok]

Legate, Tolkien actually states that the Eagles had no spirit:

Originally Posted by Morgoth's Ring, Myths Transformed

The same sort of thing may be said of Huan and the Eagles: they were taught language by the Valar, and raised to a higher level - but they still had no fëar.

Can we assume this is a canonical conclusion? Tolkien states it very conclusively, and it is, as far as I know, his last word on the subject.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Alright, thanks for bringing that up. Well, whatever you wish. Personally I was not using HoME, because I don't possess it. Anyway, I think the point is clear from the above, it wasn't about Eagles, but about Dragons - and if not Eagles, then use the Ents as example.

[The Might]

Just short about the Eagle thing.
It may be that that is said in Morgoth's Ring and Myths Transformed are later writings but as CT remarks there these passages show a lot of debate in the Professor's mind and you can't clearly say that he would have chosen eagles without fear over those from the Sil.