46 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE GROUSE 



In point of fact, the golden eagle does prey to some 

 extent on grouse. It likes blue hares better than 

 any other diet. Rabbits are acceptable ; so also is 

 venison, or hill mutton for the matter of that. But it 

 kills a few grouse occasionally. Golden eagles have 

 always been respected on our own ground. I am too 

 pleased to see them about to grudge them a few 

 grouse ; but they prefer the blue hare, which can be 

 spared more conveniently. 



A former tenant of Rum assured me that a pair of 

 eagles which nested on a certain precipice in that 

 island killed a good many grouse, in the absence 

 of the blue hares and rabbits which they would have 

 chosen. Happening to be a gentleman, he respected 

 the safety of the birds, which belonged to the golden 

 species. An outsider might have proved less magnani- 

 mous. The sea eagle has become so rare in Britain 

 that it would be little less than a crime for anyone to 

 raid its eyry or to slay a member of its race. Alas ! 

 that the hand of the destroyer was stayed so late. I 

 could say a good deal about the way in which the 

 sea eagles of Skye were exterminated, on a proper 

 opportunity. 



The sea eagle has no objection to grouse, and is 

 sure to pick off a winged bird. A neighbour of ours 

 at one time kept a pair of sea eagles. They enjoyed 



