234 WILD LIFE OF SCOTLAND 



mountain hare; a species which, because of its 

 great increase, has, on many shootings, become a 

 perfect nuisance. If, afterward, he is found perched 

 on a ledge against a background of stupendous 

 precipice, it is the same mountain hare he has in 

 his talons. 



If he strikes a grouse, it is usually one that can 

 be well spared. It were easy to show that, whereas 

 the eagle slays his thousands, grouse disease slays 

 its ten thousands ; and the fell scourge, usually, 

 begins with the weaklings. The number of 

 wounded birds in the autumn, especially with so 

 many unskilful shots at work, is enormous. Those 

 who are in the habit of being abroad on the hills 

 are familiar with the laggard, painfully struggling 

 after the pack. I have followed one until it 

 dropped ; and picked it up, to find it skin and bone. 

 Such are left to drag out a miserable existence, and 

 contract, and spread disease. And such are the 

 victims which the eagle, if he were allowed, would 

 remove. 



As yet the widowed eagle seems to be able to 

 find a partner, probably from Norway, where his 

 kindred still nest unmolested around the fiords ; and 

 that may help to account for the fact that, at Blair- 

 Atholl and Caenlochan, where the Grampians are at 



