FALCONIDjE, 157 



and seemed not to alarm the bird so much as the pony 

 which was of a dark colour. 



' After a few steps the keeper suddenly and quietly 

 glided behind a tree, and the grey horse and his rider 

 advanced farther. To divert the attention of the sus- 

 picious bird the latter wisely made as much noise as he 

 could, tapping the saddle with his whip, riding among 

 the thick ferns, and pretending all the careless uncon- 

 cern he could assume. In the meantime the keeper got 

 near, and fired both barrels. The bird flew away, but 

 had been evidently hard hit, for his flight was laboured 

 and near the ground. He alighted at last on the 

 bough of a young tree, where his drooping wings and 

 fainting form made him look more like an old coat 

 hung up as a scarecrow than an Eagle. 



' Both the pursuers then rode up, and again, although 

 wounded and bleeding, the courageous bird started 

 off, but he could not go far ; it was his last flight ; for 

 in another minute he dropped dead, shot through the 

 right eye. The former shot had hit him in the body, 

 but had in no way damaged his plumage. Shortly 

 afterwards we inspected this noble bird, and found 

 him to be a fine specimen of the White-tailed Sea 

 Eagle. He measured with outspread wings eight 

 feet ; the length of his body from his beak to his 

 tail was three feet two inches ; and he weighed 

 twenty-two pounds. From his plumage, which was 

 in excellent condition, it seemed probable that he was 

 a wild bird ; there being no marks either of cage or 



