THE BOOK OF MIGRATORY BIRDS 241 



the sun's rays they have a brilliant, almost golden appear- 

 ance, hence its sobriquet. Thighs and shoulders of the 

 same pale orange brown. Quills, blackish-brown; inner 

 webs clouded with greyish-black. The secondaries are 

 clouded with brown, light brown, and umber brown. Tail 

 nearly square. 



THE PASSING OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE FROM 

 SCOTLAND. 



His Grace the Duke of Sutherland has formed an ex- 

 cellent museum at Dunrobin Castle. The museum, 

 situated in the pleasure grounds, near the castle, is 

 admirably fitted up, and contains a most interesting collec- 

 tion. The antiquities, especially the relics of the ancient 

 Picts, are well worthy of notice, but to the naturalist the 

 collection of birds is of the highest interest. 



In this museum one finds specimens of nearly all the 

 avo-fauna of Scotland. Some, however, are fast dis- 

 appearing before the guns and traps of poachers and 

 others. 



Among the native Scottish birds the eagle is by far the 

 most noble, and it is deplorable that this species is gradu- 

 ally getting scarce. The brilliance of its eyes as it poses 

 watching the approach of an enemy, and its general 

 attitude admirably realises the following passage culled 

 from the book called " Highland Sports," by Mr. S. 

 John : 



"How picturesque he looks, and how perfectly he 

 represents the genus loci as, perched on some rocky point 

 or withered tree, he sits unconcerned in wind and storm, 

 motionless and statue-like, with his keen, stern eye, how- 

 ever, intently following every movement of the shepherd 

 or the sportsman, who, deceived by his apparent disregard, 

 attempts to creep within rifle-shot ! Long before he can 

 reckon on reaching so far with his bullet the bird launches 

 himself into the air, and, gradually sweeping upwards, 



QA 



