

the shepherd, and when the dogs were encou- 

 raged to interfere, beat them off, and even struck 

 them to the ground with his powerful wings, re- 

 tiring a little way, and finishing his repast with 

 the greatest coolness. Success and impunity 

 made him bold as a lion. During the spring, his 

 haunts had been the heights of Fruid and Games- 

 hope, and more especially a spot called Loch- 

 hill, which he began to regard as his own terri- 

 tory, suffering no rival to approach his throne. 

 Repeatedly he disputed the shepherd's right to 

 visit the hill, while looking after the safety of 

 his master's flocks, screaming and flying round 

 him, and sometimes stooping within a yard of 

 lis head, " willing to wound, and yet afraid 

 to strike." This state of things could not be al- 

 lowed to continue ; and accordingly, the shep- 

 herd having collected a quantity of stones, stow- 

 ed them in his plaid, and approached a heathy 

 knoll, white with the skins and bones of slaugh- 

 tered lambs. The eagle met him ; by turns ris- 

 ing and stooping, but never flying away. Mean- 

 while the shepherd assailed him with his missiles, 

 until one stone, "more lucky than the rest," 

 struck, stunned and brought to the ground the 

 feathered freebooter : the dogs now rushed to 

 the melee, and the noble bird was soon over- 

 powered and destroyed. Each wing was four 

 feet long, and the legs nearly as thick as a man's 

 arm. 



But it is riot man alone that the eagle has to 

 fear; for the skua gull (lestri? cataractes) is also 



