THE GOLDEN EAGLE 133 



less on the rocks, basking in the sun and digesting 

 its food. The Eagle, we think wrongfully, is accused 

 of playing sad havoc amongst game ; but its favourite 

 food, as was long ago remarked by the observant 

 Charles St. John, and as we have repeatedly 

 ascertained, is the mountain hare, and failing this, 

 on carrion, especially on dead sheep, which are 

 common enough on the vast farms. Its love of 

 carrion often leads it into traps, and brings death 

 by poison ; weakly lambs and deer calves, together 

 with wounded or diseased Grouse and other birds, 

 are also eaten. The Eagle pounces on these creatures 

 unawares, or even drives them over cliffs — never 

 flies at and strikes them with the dash and daring 

 so characteristic of the true Falcons. In fact, as 

 we wrote long ago, after a careful study of the 

 habits of the Golden Eagle, the bird is more like a 

 Vulture than a Hawk, and we were going to say 

 almost as harmless. The usual note of this Eagle 

 is a yelping or barking cry. 



The Golden Eagle is a very early breeder, and 

 probably pairs for life, seeing that the same eyrie 

 will be occupied or used in turn year after year. 

 A site for this is usually selected on some noble 

 crag or precipitous cliff, generally in a cleft or 

 where the rocks overhang. Trees nowadays seem 



