CHAPTER TEN BIRDS OF PREY 



I SAW an eagle to-day passing southwards, appar- 

 entlyon hisway from the mountains ofSutherlandor 

 Caithness to themore southern heightsofthe Gramp- 

 ians. The bird was flying very near the ground, mak- 

 ing his wayagainstthewind, and pursuedbyawhole squad- 

 ron ofgrey crows, who had found out that he was a stranger, 

 and taking advantage of the unconcerned contempt with 

 which he treated their attacks, kept up a continual clamour 

 and petty warfare against the royal bird. The eagle, as he 

 came over the more enclosed part of thecountry, flew high- 

 er, as if suspicious of concealed foes amongst the hedges 

 and enclosures. I have almost every year during my stay 

 in Morayshire seen the eagles occasionally passing, at 

 the beginning of winter invariably going southwards, and 

 again early in the spring on their return northwards; in 

 windy weather flying low, but when calm, cleaving the air 

 at a great height. The eagle's flight, when passing from 

 one point to another, is peculiarly expressive of strength 

 and vigour. He wends his way with deliberate strong 

 strokes of his powerful wing, every stroke apparently 

 driving him on a considerable distance, and in this man- 

 ner advancing through the air as rapidly as the pigeon 

 or any other bird which may appear to fly much more 

 quickly. 



Notwithstanding the facility with which he flies when 

 once fairly launched, like many other heavy birds, a very 

 slight wound disables him from rising into the air when on 

 level ground. Even after having gorged himself to excess 

 (and there is no greater glutton than this king of the air) 

 the eagle is unable to rise, and falls a victim occasionally to 

 131 



