38 THE HOME-LIFE OF 



the continual jumping which accompanies the napping 

 action. In this connection it is worth noting that 

 the old birds spring, rather than fly, from the nest, then 

 spreading their wings and swooping for the first few 

 yards slightly downwards till sufficient impetus to carry 

 them on their flight has been gained. The wings are 

 not spread until after the spring has been made, though 

 the two actions are so rapid that a casual observer might 

 well think them simultaneous. 



At 10.30 he began to devour a rabbit which was in 

 the eyrie when I arrived, and the whole carcase (which 

 was that of a young one) vanished down his capacious 

 throat — bones and head included. He had now learnt 

 to tear the hind legs apart at the joint as his mother had 

 shown him on a previous occasion, and this knowledge 

 considerably facilitated the progress of his meal. 



At 12.15 tne cock brought him a young grouse, and 

 he fell upon it with great gusto. The cock stepped 

 backwards to the edge of the nest and watched him 

 enjoying his meal (Plate 22), apparently deriving much 

 pleasure from the spectacle, and well-pleased with his 

 offspring's progress. On leaving the eyrie he carried 

 away the carcase of a grouse, the only occasion on which 

 I ever saw the male bird thus employed. The Eaglet 

 finished his meal in peace, and then again walked away 

 from the nest to the same place as before, thus preventing 

 me from obtaining any further pictures. In order to 

 prevent him from repeating this manoeuvre, I now 

 erected a small barrier on the far side of the eyrie, and 

 left him in peace for the day. 



On the 1 2th, at 6 o'clock, I found him awake and 

 exceedingly hungry, calling for food when I appeared, 

 standing watching for his mother's return (Plate 23). 

 There was nothing to eat in the eyrie, and in a short 

 time he again attempted to go for a walk, and, to my 

 great annoyance, succeeded in climbing the barrier and 

 began to gorge himself on the remains of a hare which 



