2 GOLDEN EAGLE.
long hen t her. After circling two or 1 hree times over the spot, the Eagle settled on a stone close by ; and hero
his majesty remained so long, apparently considering how to extricate his prey from the thick cover, that I
D U forced to remove the glasses and attend to the work I had in hand.
Those who have only noticed an Eagle leisurely sailing across the sky can form lint a very faint idea of
the irresistible swoop he is capable of making when in pursuit, of his prey. It is, however, to descend from
the sublime to the ridiculous to describe the actions of the " king of the air," when pressed by want, vainly
attempting to rupture a niountain-hare in broken ground among large stones.
I t is now fifteen tw sixteen years ago, hut 1 still have a perfect recollection of being witness to a most
amusing scene of this description in Glenlyon, m Perthshire. The ground was deeply covered with frozen snow;
and a white hare, which had been down on the low ground during the night in search of food, m again
making his way uphill just as Ibe early rays of t h e sun were catching the hills to the north of the Lyon. My
attention was first attracted by an Eagle rising a short distance in the air and settling again on the large stones.
Here he would, with apparently more baste than speed, hop clumsily from one rock to another, occasionally
fluttering upwards and then alighting with outstretched wings and dislodging once or twice g n a t flakes of
snow us be brushed against the sides of the stones. It appeared flint the Eagle was unable to seize the hare as
it dodged backwards and forwards amongst the rocks, while, owing t o the frozen snow, t h e bare was unable
to escape into any of the crevices or holes which would otherwise have airorded it shelter from Its pursuer.
Every time t h e Eagle rose to any height iu the air, the hare made a dart for fresh cover, and kept gradually
working its way uphill, the Eagle again and again returning to the attack, hut apparently without success, as
al last 1 lost sight of both over the brow of the hill. The length of their wings, which, while moving on the
ground, they frequently spread, -eenrs lo render their actions extremely awkward. I noticed particularly that
the wings of the Eagle when in pursuit of the hare apjieared on more than one MILLION to strike against
t h e stones ; and again a few years later 1 observiil another instance of the same circumstance occurring.
The keepers had noticed two or three young birds frequenting a rough hillside; and us they were
generally seen within a short distance of the same spot, we placed a halt (a setter which had recently died) at
the foot of a rock on which one of them occasionally rested, and set two or three traps on the nearest stones,
one of them being on the rock itself. On visiting the spot on the following day, two of the traps were
sprung, and in one were left a couple of the longest quill-feathers from the wing of an Eagle. From the
manner in which the stones were scored, it was evident that the bird had been held for a considerable
time before be effected bis escape.
While observed soaring high in the heavens, or perched on a pinnacle of rack standing out in bold
relief against the sky, the Eagle is certainly what he has always been described—a grand and noble-looking
bird. When, however, he descends to the low ground, he leaves (to my mind, at least) his nobility behind
him, and shuffles about with no more dignity, and far less ease, than a Carrion-Crow. It is, nevertheless,
a fact that although in the air he is frequently attacked and buffeted by rarious species of birds, a n y number
that may be feeding on or gathered round some prey they have discovered at once give way and withdraw
when his majesty ap|M-ars on the scene.
To see an Eagle to the Tory greatest disadvantage, he ought to he watehed when sheltering himself from
the force of the elements during a storm of wind and rain. As I am well aware that It haB been slated by
some writers (good sportsmen, too) that the Eagle is utterly regardless of the storm, that he, indeed, defies
the hurricane, it may bo as well to remind my readers that I simply give my own experience. I never yet had
nn op'xirtunity of watching an Eagle or, indeed, any other bird that appeared particularly to appreciate the
effects of wind, together with rain or sleet and snow. A steady downpour seems often acceptable to many
species and even the cold and wintry blast will scarcely affect them; but let the weather be only what n
Highland Gillie would describe as '• earse " (which means all the disagreeable properties of our British climate
(!UL1>FN EAGLE.
combined together and let looae at once), and then I fancy, if the observant naturalist was in a position to
minutely examine and publish a bulletin concerning the slate or the royal bird, he would scarcely he
justified iu stating that, judging by external appearances, be defied t h e elements.
A few years ago I was crossing the hills on a fearfully rough and stormy day ; although late in May, the
weather was bitterly cold, the tops were covered at least a foot deep with newly-fallen snow, and squalls of
sleet and rain were drifting with blinding force along the nioun fain-side. Our track was through a gorge in
the hills; and while picking our way in single file over the stones that encumbrm) our path, my attention was
attracted by an exclamation in Gaelic from one of I he keepers, and on looking up I discovered an Eagle perched
on a slab of rock in the face of t h e elilf on the opposite side of the pass. At the first glance if was difficult to
make out any thing through the downpour beyond an iudistinet brown mass ; but on further b i s e c t i o n this
gradually resolved itself into the shape of Ibe most dejected-looking representative of the species Eagle I have
ever beheld. With his head drawn down between his shoulders, bis plumage apparently thoroughly soaked, and
the water dripping from his feathers, be seemed so entirely engrossed by his own misfortunes as to be utterly
regardless of our presence. I examined the spot as carefully as I could (considering the rough slate of the
weather), but I was unable to perceive any manner in which the bird could be stalked and shot, so inaccessible
was his perch, except by means of a rille. Few and far between were the passers-by in this n ild glen ; and I
thiiik most likely that the ledge was a favourite resting-place, llaglcs often have certain stations, sometimes
at a considerable distance from their breeding-quarters, to which they resort after feeding, where they may
quietly digest their meal and arrange and clean their plumage.
One such spot I discovered on a grassy slope near t h e summit of an island in a large loch at no great
distance from the west coast. Here for a space of six or eight feet the grass was worn quite sborl, and
pellets and feathers were scattered in all directions. Although there are no nests in the immediate vicinity,
the hills on winch three or four eyries are placed arc plainly visible from the spot. The lower portion of tho
island (which is at the distance of at least a mile from the nearest shore) is thickly wooded and the ascent by no
means easy ; but those who scramble to the summit will he rewarded by the sight of some of tin' linesl scenery
in the 'Western Highlands. The surrounding moorland within five or six miles of the loch, though crossed by
several rough and stony ridges, contains no hills of any commanding height, consequently in clear weather
an unbroken view can be obtained of several of those lofty mountains whose fantastic outlines are always an
object of interest to those who visit this wild and deserted region.
Another of these resting-places is on a sleep hillside in one of the central districts of fbo Northern
Highlands. This spot appears to have some parlicular attractions to these birds ; though only one or possibly
two may be noticed frequenting it, should they be captured, it will again be tenanted in the course of the next
few days. It is now some years since the locality was first pointed out to m o ; but I am Well aware that it
still continues a favourite resort. A few feather! and some down clinging among tho tufts of heather that
sprung from the face of the slabs of rock below the ledge first led lo the discovery. There are along tho same
ridge within half a mile no less than three or four other moss-covered stones or grassy slopes that bear evideneo
of being af limes used by the Eagles. This their headquarters is overshadowed by a couple of thick birch bushes
and a mountain-ash. The worn turf at the roots of the trees and the roots themselves, together with a mass of
pellets and dried and dirty feathers, hear witness to the frequent visits to the spot; while the lower branches
of the trees that come within reach of where they sit arc entirely cut off by their beaks. The birds hail in fact
formed a regular arbour to shelter themselves, removing all the boughs that interfered with their comfort, as
neatly as if the work bad been carried out by a woodman armed with a chopper. The ends of the twigs that
were left were perfectly dead and scored with hundreds of marks, showing that the result had not been
accomplished iu a day. When first I went to examine the place I was in search of specimens, so I at once
proceeded to set traps on the ledge. Within a few feet of one another there were tbrcc spots on which the