A GOLDEN EAGLE. 21 



With a rush of wings she came again, and this time 

 deposited a grouse ready plucked on the ledge. It 

 was now 3 p.m. and the Eaglet was hungry, but she 

 evidently considered that it was too early for supper, 

 and again departed. In less than five minutes the cock 

 dropped in with another grouse, also plucked clean of 

 feathers and headless, and as soon as he had departed 

 the hen returned with a third, and as quickly vanished. 

 This store of food had evidently been accumulated by 

 them somewhere outside the eyrie, and I subsequently 

 discovered several places among the rocks where game 

 had been plucked, for no bird is ever brought to the 

 young without being stripped of its feathers. As we 

 shall see later, hares are sometimes brought unplucked 

 at another stage, but while the Eaglets are still in the 

 first down both hares and rabbits are also stripped of fur, 

 but not skinned, before being brought to the eyrie. 

 Other places were found later where the refuse from the 

 nest was deposited, for during the first two months 

 the eyrie was kept remarkably clean. These " middens " 

 were not used for plucking, but were kept for their own 

 purpose as storehouses for refuse. 



The Eaglet was now very excited and would not 

 settle down again to sleep, searching the sky for his 

 parents, his eyes rolling with anticipation of the 

 coming feast. At 3.45 the cock appeared with a 

 fourth grouse, and turned sideways upon the ledge, 

 standing upon the prey with both feet. Suddenly, 

 with a terrific blow of his powerful claw, he ripped 

 the bird open from breast to tail, and then again took 

 his departure. 



In a few minutes the female returned to the eyrie, 

 and picked out the grouse which the cock had prepared, 

 choosing it carefully from among the other carcases. 

 Seizing it in one foot, she shuffled forward towards 

 the Eaglet, and placed the prey in front of the 

 expectant youngster (Plate 8), with its legs sticking 



