G O L D E N E A G L E.
M A L E
A# about 12 Sontha
G O L D E N E A G L E.
AQUILA CmiYSAETUS.
Foil years we have been fold that this species was rapidly disappearing from the British Islands; hut, those
who arc well acquainted with the Highlands of Scotland will easily call to mind scores: of glens where the
bird may still be found as wild and untamed as were his ancestors be lure the rage for excessive gamepreserving
set in and drove the survivors lo the forests and the more remote ranges. So long as deerstalking
remain! as a sport, and the quiet and solitude of the forests are guarded as jealously as they now are, there is
no ten that the Golden Eagle will become a scarce bird. The crow of the Grouse-cock, or a startled ban
bounding op the mountain-side, pausing again and again lo watch the cause of ils alarm, have given warning
to many a noble stag of the approaching stalker ; and as the increase of both species is supposed to he chocked
by the Eagle, care is taken that his eyrie in the forest be not disturbed. Where the hillside is under sheep
the case is totally different, The shepherd in nearly every district in the highlands is the worst enemy to the
Eagle ; perhaps for the protection of bis flock, but more probably for the sake of the money he can make by
the sale of the eggs to dealers or collectors, be will contrive by some means or other to rob ever* nest that
is placed on his beat. Active and surefooted as n mountain-goat, there an- lew precipices lie "ill not succeed
in scaling, though, should the rock prove too steep for him to climb unaided, there are always ropes kept
at the large farms for rescuing sheep from the dangerous and almost inaccessible ledges to which they may
have picked their way in search of grass when focal is short ; and by means of these, and with the help of one or
two bands from a neighbouring beat, securely placed indeed must be the nest t h a t escapes him.
I should be of opinion that it is seldom a straggler is now found on this side of the border, though
hardly a season passes without attention is drawn to the fact, in some county paper, that a magnificent
specimen of the Golden Eagle has been obtained in the district; this, in every ease I have investigated,
has turned out to he the Sea-Eagle. On more than one occasion I have brought down on my head the
indignation of t h e " fortunate possessor " for daring to hint that his specimen was not what he fondly believed
it to be.
Although his greatest admirers cannot deny that he will occasionally cany off a lamb, the Golden
is in many districts considered far less destructive on a sheep-farm than the White-tailed Eagle. I do
not think this species dors any very great amount of damage to Grouse where bares or rabbits arc plentiful.
I n one or two instances I have known him to take such a faney to the newly-dropped fawns of the roedeer,
that no young were reared in the district for a couple of seasons ; but, as a rule, I am convinced that Grey
Crows and Peregrines are far more destructive to all winged game. Xow and then, when grouse-shooting, I
bave had a « oimdcd bird that was falling at a distance carried oil" in front of me ; but to my mind the loss was
amply attoncd for by the sight. I also remember, after a heavy shot at Wlgeon with a punt-gun, one whiter,
on a river in the north of Scotland, seeing an Eagle dash down from the sky after a bird that had separated
from the flock and was blindly making its way uphill ; before being overtaken it fell dead into a patch of