WILD SPORTS OF THE HIGHLANDS 



trigger, and he fell quite dead half a dozen yards from the 

 sheep. I followed Malcolm's directions, who had predicted 

 that one eagle would be followed by a second, and remain- 

 ed quiet, in hopes that his mate was not within hearing of 

 my shot. The morning was brightening, and I had not 

 waited many minutes when I saw the other eagle skim- 

 ming low over the brow of the hill towards me. She did 

 not alight atonce. Hereye caught the change in the ground 

 or the dead body of her mate, and she wheeled up into the 

 air. I thought her lost to me, when presently I heard her 

 wings brush close over my head ; and then she went wheel- 

 ing round and round above the dead bird, and turning her 

 head downwards to make out what had happened. At 

 times she stooped so low that I could see the sparkle of 

 her eye and hear her low complaining cry. I watched the 

 time when she turned up her wing towards me, and fired, 

 and dropped her actually on the body of the other. I now 

 rushed out. The last bird immediately rose to her feet, and 

 stood gazing at me with a reproachful, half-threatening 

 look. She would have done battle, but death was busy with 

 her; and, as I was loading in haste, she reeled and fell per- 

 fectly dead. Eager as I had been to do the deed, I could 

 not look on the royal birds withouta pang. But suchregrets 

 were now too late. Passing over the shepherd's rejoicing, 

 and my incredible breakfast, I must return to our great 

 adventure. Our line of march to-day was over ground so 

 high that we came repeatedly into the midst of ptarmigan. 

 On the very summit, Bran had a rencontre with an old 

 mountain fox, toothless, yet very fat, whom he made to 

 bite the dust. We struck at one place the tracks of the three 



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