108 TOUR IN SUTHERLAND. CH. VII. 



her head in every direction, as if she had lost sight 

 of her victim ; when, suddenly catching a glimpse 

 of the poor bird, down she came with extended 

 legs, and without seeming more than to touch the 

 heather with her talons, she caught the grouse, and 

 the next moment was flying rapidly away towards 

 the highest cliffs of the mountain with her prey. 



Notwithstanding the incessant war waged against 

 these noble birds, there are still some few eagles 

 left in certain districts ; but where there is much 

 grouse-shooting, and where, in consequence, there 

 are many keepers, they are quite extirpated. The 

 shepherds seem too indolent to take much trouble 

 about killing the old birds ; though the mania for 

 collecting birds' eggs bids fair, I fear, to prevent 

 any number of young eagles being hatched, as the 

 eggs have become in such demand that they fetch 

 from a pound to five-and-twenty shillings each 

 from the numerous collectors, who, by-the-by, are 

 constantly imposed upon most grossly in their 

 collections. 



The most perfect arrangement of British eggs 

 that I ever saw, and one that is quite to be relied 

 on for the identity of every egg, belongs to my 

 friend Mr. Hancock of Newcastle — a gentleman 

 who combines with the most indefatigable and 

 zealous love of nature in all her forms, a refined 



