124 



THE HUNTER'S ARCADIA. 



that we could prevent the dogs from feeling the 

 power of his talons. 



To save the pauw, the gallant eagle had to be 

 knocked on the head, which was a sad necessity, 

 for this is not only one of the bravest but one of 

 the most beautiful of the falconidae. Its powers 

 of flight are something marvellous, and this may 

 well be imagined when I state that its wings protrude 

 far beyond its tail. It is only to be found in Africa, 

 and in the locality in which we then were it is the 

 most common of the birds of prey. Morning and 

 evening it can be seen sailing in the heavens at 

 an immense height, its wings apparently motionless, 

 until a victim attracts its attention, when the velocity 

 of its descent is probably unrivalled by any bird 

 of prey. During the heat of noon it rests occa- 

 sionally upon a rock, more generally upon a tree, 

 but its wariness is so great that it is almost im- 

 possible to get within shot of it. The base of its 

 beak is dark orange, lower down yellow, while the 

 tip is black. The iris of this species is a mag- 

 nificent brilliant transparent brown, while the feet and 

 the skin between the eye and the beak are coral 



