IS6 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



year, as one of the officers of the garrison of Windsor 

 was riding in the Great Park, not far from the statue 

 of King George III. at the end of the Long Walk, 

 he was surprised to see a large bird on the ground, 

 gorging himself with a rabbit. He advanced towards 

 it, but the bird flew up into a tree. When on the 

 tree it appeared to have a chain round its leg, but this 

 was afterwards ascertained to be a portion of the 

 rabbit it had just been eating. The pursuer having 

 clearly made out that this large bird was an Eagle, a 

 most unusual visitor to the royal forest, rode off im- 

 mediately to the keeper's lodge with the news. The 

 keeper, while mounting his pony, stated that the bird 

 had been seen about the forest for four or five days, 

 but had always kept out of shot. When they both 

 got back to the place where the bird was sitting, the 

 keeper concealed himself and his gun, while the officer 

 rode round the bird endeavouring to drive him over 

 the ambush. Off he went at last, but flew wide of the 

 keeper. Then came the riding part of the business 

 partaking more of the character of a steeple-chase 

 than of hunting. By dint of hard and difficult 

 galloping, among rabbit-holes, thick ferns, and open 

 drains, the Eagle was again marked down in a clump 

 of trees. Then followed a little stalking. The keeper 

 on his pony and his companion on his horse advanced 

 carefully, but the cunning bird would not allow them 

 to come near. The keeper then got off his pony, and 

 walked alongside the horse, which was of a grey colour. 



