IRISH GOLDEN EAGLES 191 



On another occasion this Eagle was sunning 

 himself on a jagged tooth of rock hanging over 

 the abyss, when a passing Herring- Gull had 

 sufficient temerity to stoop close over his head; in 

 fact, the encounter was so close that the Eagle 

 was obliged to ' duck." Later on the same 

 morning, however, the tables were turned, when 

 the Eagle, with seemingly slow and laboured, but 

 in reality with rapid and decisive rushes, first this 

 way, then that, pursued some gulls of the same 

 species. But he failed to cut one down. 



A Peregrine Falcon, breeding on an outlying 

 Island rock, was wont to annoy this Eagle sorely. 

 One day, as the former winnows his way along 

 the broken coast-line, he descries the latter wheeling 

 indolently far above him. This is too good an 

 opportunity to be lost. With deliciously easy and 

 rapid sweeps the Falcon climbs the air in a fine 

 ringing flight. Higher, and higher still, until he 

 is a mere dot in a cloudless sky ; then, and not till 

 then, he hangs directly above the Eagle. A 

 second, and he grows more distinct and wedge- 

 shaped : he is stooping now with a vengeance, and 

 like a descending rocket he hurls himself head 

 downwards at his clumsy foe. He is below the 

 Eagle, he has missed his mark this time, the great 

 bird having shuffled aside at the critical moment. 

 Nothing daunted, however, the Falcon is up again, 

 down again, too, like a flash, and on this occasion 

 he meets with better success, striking the Eagle 



