THE GOLDEN EAGLE 37 



it is absent, the Golden Eagle breeds from Scandinavia 

 to North Africa. It is common in Spain, where it has a 

 deadly hatred against the Griffon Vulture, and it extends 

 across Europe and North Asia. It is found among the 

 Himalayas and in the Atlas Mountains. In the Himalayas 

 it is confused with the Bearded Vulture, which is some- 

 times given the name of Golden Eagle. In China it is a 

 resident species, but does not inhabit Greenland, so far 

 as I know. In Lapland it makes its nest in large trees, 

 and this is often the case in Germany also. In Palestine 

 it is common in winter, and occurs sometimes in Arabia 

 and Egypt, and even in Abyssinia. In America it ex- 

 tends as far south as Mexico, though the North American 

 forms are, I believe, rather smaller and darker than the 

 British specimens. In the northern parts of the Schwarz- 

 wald the eagle is considered to be a rare visitor, but in 

 March I had an excellent sight of a pair from the summit 

 plateau of the Hornisgrinde, a hill just over 4000 feet high. 

 They crossed over the plateau, sailing and circling in true 

 eagle fashion until they were lost to view towards the 

 valley of the Rhine. As the eagle does not nest here- 

 abouts, I imagine that these two specimens came from 

 the Alps, a hundred miles or so to the southward. 



In the Crimea, where many ideal nesting sites exist, the 

 eagle is common. Along the coast of the Black Sea, 

 from Sevastopol to Yalta, are giant cliffs where the eagles 

 are constantly seen. I once observed here as many as 

 seven in the air together while midway between the two 

 towns above mentioned, and after watching them for a 

 time several of the birds sailed up into the clouds and were 

 lost to view. I have seen this same thing happen in 

 Scotland, and have wondered whether the birds can find 

 their bearings without difficulty when making their way 

 through an impenetrable blanket of fog. I imagine that 

 in the Crimea the food supply must be a matter of con- 



