352 Bonelli’s Eagle 
nest, it threw itself into a splendid attitude of defiance and defence 
as if challenging me to come on. 
I had some trouble in photographing this young savage, as 
when the camera was brought near it, it struck out furiously with 
its talons and it was wonderful to see what a reach it possessed 
when it had a mind to inflict an injury. Curiously enough, by its 
side was the body of a freshly-killed cock Blackbird, plucked 
almost completely clean of feathers, the bright yellow bill and a 
few small feathers around the base of it alone serving to indicate 
what it was. A blackbird would appear to be a very small quarry 
for such a fine and powerful bird as Bonelli to capture. But the 
reason was simple enough; the hillsides, immediately below the 
nest and for miles around are densely overgrown with lentiscus, 
with stunted cork and olive trees scattered at intervals, amid which 
blackbirds are abundant. No doubt as the Eagles skim over the 
undulating ground in quest of rabbits or Partridges, innumerable 
opportunities occur for grabbing a thoughtless Blackbird, which, 
after the manner of their kind, fly chattering from one clump to 
another. 
Having decided to take the young Eagle, I attempted to pick 
it up, but it threw itself on its back and was so pugnacious that 
I forwent the pleasure of its company during my ascent. Having 
left it to recover its feet, by means of a few feints, I induced it 
to back towards the edge of the nest, when a push with my 
foot sent it over into space and it descended with extended wings, 
parachute fashion, dropping into a big cistus bush a hundred feet 
below, whence | subsequently retrieved it. This is the bird | 
have alive at my home in England and a very interesting one it 
is to study. Its favourite food is rabbits or rats, but judging 
from its fierce demeanour when cats come near its aviary, I 
imagine they would have a bad time of it, if they ventured within 
its grasp. Grasp is indeed the word, for of all the raptorial birds 
