G BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



a fox sprang from a bush of heather and seized the intruder 

 (which had come to rob him of his prey) by the wing. A well- 

 contested struggle ensued, in which the bird made a desperate 

 attempt to defend itself with its claws, and succeeded in extri- 

 cating itself from its enemy's grasp, but before it had time to 

 escape Reynard seized it again by the breast, and seemed more 

 determined than ever. The eagle made another attempt to over- 

 power its antagonist, by striking him with its wings, but that 

 would not compel him to quit his hold. At last the eagle 

 succeeded in raising the fox from terra ftrma, and in a few minutes 

 he was suspended by his own jaws between heaven and earth. 

 Although now placed in an unfavourable position for fighting, his 

 courage did not seem to forsake him, as he firmly kept his hold, 

 and seemed to make several attempts to bring the eagle down; 

 but he soon found the strong wings of the eagle were capable of 

 raising him, and that there was now no way of escape unless the 

 bird should alight somewhere. The eagle made a straight ascent, 

 and rose to a considerable height in the air. The two combatants 

 were still struggling, and in a few minutes a disengagement ap- 

 peared to have taken place. Reynard, from some cause or other, 

 was obliged to quit his grasp, and was now descending much 

 quicker than he had gone up. In a second or two he was dashed 

 to the earth, where he lay struggling in the agonies of death. 

 The eagle meanwhile made its escape in a southern direction; it 

 appeared weak from exhaustion and loss of blood, but managed, 

 notwithstanding, to hold on its flight until he became obscured 

 in the distance." 



Throughout Scotland generally, the Golden Eagle, although 

 looked upon as a rarity, is, from its habit of wandering in the 

 autumn months, frequently seen in lowland districts skimming 

 above woods and fields, but seldom deviating from its line of 

 flight. Sometimes, when pressed by hunger, it comes near enough 

 to be shot; but usually it is wary, even when scanning the ground 

 for prey. A short time ago a friend, when walking in the out- 

 skirts of Kirriemuir, in Forfarshire, accompanied by a little terrier, 

 was surprised to see one of these birds stoop suddenly in its flight 

 before him, as if to see whether the dog would make a suitable 

 meal. A glance, however, apparently convinced the bird that an 

 attack in the circumstances would be useless, and as it rose grace- 

 fully out of range, it continued its flight northward in a straight 



