One of the best managed, and one of the 

 largest collections of living eagles and raptorial 

 birds in this country, is at Mottisfont Abbey, on 

 the Test, near Romsey. The Abbey, or rather 

 the fine Tudor house, built by Lord Sandys on 

 the site of the Abbey, is the residence of Mr. 

 Meinertzhagen ; the eagles and other birds 

 were obtained, and the aviaries designed and 

 their excellent management devised by his 

 son, Dan Meinertzhagen, whose regretted death, 

 at the age of twenty-three, took place on 

 February I3th, 1898. His birds and collections 

 are still maintained as he left them. At the 

 present time there are sixteen eagles in the 

 houses, with some kites, buzzards, and other 

 hawks. The collection of owls, great and 

 small, is quite as fine as the eagles, and gives 

 a second line of interest to this unique set of 

 private aviaries. It may be asked, what is 

 the distinction of this special collection, and in 

 what does it differ from that of the Zoo ? The 

 answer is that here only in this country can 

 these, the finest of all birds, be seen in the 

 health and vigour which nature gave them. 



