A GOLDEN EAGLE. 19 



At last, during a temporary lull in the storm, she 

 rose to her feet and began to tear ravenously at the rabbit 

 which lay beside her. Instantaneous photography was 

 out of the question and her movements were so rapid 

 that the time shutter was equally useless. She swallowed 

 rapidly masses of intestines, and picking out some titbits 

 from the liver presented them to the Eaglet, which was 

 now sitting in a half upright position ; then, seizing 

 the carcase by one leg, she disappeared with it into 

 the mist-wreaths beyond. I took advantage of the 

 opportunity to escape from my hiding-place, as dusk 

 was approaching and the snowflakes were now whirling 

 down the gorge. 



" Fine, but dull, with passing showers," such is the 

 extract from my diary which describes the following 

 morning. I reached the eyrie at 7.5 a.m., and again 

 found the old Eagle sheltering her young. The latter 

 was gorged, and I subsequently ascertained that at this 

 stage of the Eaglet's career he was fed with great regularity 

 twice a day — at daybreak and about 5 p.m. Occasionally 

 one of the birds came in with prey at intervals through 

 the day, the majority of their visits occurring after 

 noon between 1 and 3 p.m. Scraps of raw flesh were 

 scattered on the ledge and the remains of a grouse and 

 two rabbits were to be seen. The hiding-place being 

 to-day comparatively dry, I settled down comfortably 

 with two cameras in position to await the course of 

 events, and, to my delight, the sun broke through the 

 clouds and for a short time blazed full upon the eyrie. 

 The Eaglet was still asleep and evidently quite content 

 to bask in the rays of the sun. 



The air now became warmer and the canvas above 

 me began to dry. The dripping ceased, and for the 

 first time I sat in comparative comfort. At 1 1 a.m. 

 the Eaglet raised himself and turned round towards 

 the outer edge of the nest, looking intently upwards and 

 calling loudly to something which evidently moved 



