A FORMIDABLE FOE. 61 



his regards, a golden plover, which he spied on her nest, has 

 contrived to elude him, and he does not care to pursue her. 

 Now, then, he ascends a little, wheels in short abrupt curves, 

 presently rushes down headlong, assumes the horizontal posi- 

 tion when close to the ground, prevents himself from being 

 dashed against it by expanding his wings and tail, thrusts forth 

 his talons, and grasping a poor, terrified ptarmigan that sat 

 cowering among the gray lichens, squeezes it to death, raises 

 his head exultingly, utters a clear, shrill cry, and, rising from 

 the ground, pursues his journey. 



As he passes a tall cliff overhanging a silent lake, he is 

 attacked by a fierce peregrine falcon, which darts and plunges 

 at him, as if resolved to deprive him of his booty, or drive him 

 headlong to the ground. A more formidable foe is this than 

 the raven and the eagle, with a scream and a yelp, throws 

 himself into postures of defence, until, at length, the hawk, 

 perceiving that the tyrant has no intention of plundering his 

 nest, leaves him to pursue his course without further mo- 

 lestation. Over dense woods, and green fields, and scattered 

 hamlets, the eagle speeds ; and now he enters the long river- 

 valley, near whose upper end, cradled in mist, rises the rock of 

 his eyrie. About a mile from it he meets his mate, who has 

 been abroad on a similar design, and is returning with a white 

 hare as her spoil. With loud strident cries they congratulate 

 each other, cries that alarm the drowsy shepherd on the green 

 strath below, who, remembering the lambs carried off in spring- 

 time, discharges at them a volley of maledictions. 



Their nest is of considerable size, but rudely constructed ; 



