224 DEVOURS THE PARTRIDGE. CHAP. XL 



" All being now over, with one foot resting upon 

 his game, and the other on the rock, silent and 

 motionless as a statue, the noble captor stood, with an 

 inquiring eye gazing at the now lifeless form of his 

 reeking prey, seeming to doubt the fact that it was 

 already dead. But there was no mistake. The blood, 

 oozing from its mouth and wounds, its body doubt- 

 less pierced by the talons of the conqueror, already 

 began to trickle down the sides of the dark cliffs, 

 dyeing the rocks in its course. Satisfied at last 

 that life was fairly extinct, an incision was then 

 made in the neck or shoulder of the victim, and into 

 this the falcon thrust his bill several times, and each 

 time that it was withdrawn it was covered with 

 blood. This being done, and having wrenched off the 

 head, which he dropped, he then began not only to 

 pluck but to skin his food, from the neck downwards ; 

 and, having bared the breast, commenced a hearty 

 meal by separating the flesh from the sternum into 

 portions, with as much apparent ease as if he had 

 been operating with the sharpest surgical instrument. 

 I should have liked well to have seen the end of the 

 work thus begun ; but unfortunately, a slight move- 

 ment on my part was detected by the quick eye of 

 the falcon, and my nearness was discovered. Having 

 gazed at me for a few, and only for a few seconds, 

 with an angry and piercing scowl, mingled with 

 surprise, he then rose, uttering a scream so wild and 

 $p loud as to awaken the echoes of the surrounding 



