EAGLES ON AN ENGLISH LAKE 269 



October until March it swarms with wild ducks. Some- 

 times not less than two thousand ducks and widgeon, 

 with other species, are on the water. There is also a 

 heronry, and a large flock of half-wild Canada geese. 

 Gulls also come here in numbers, while coots and water- 

 hens abound. This writer has not met among the 

 many persons who have watched the eagles one who 

 has seen an eagle kill a wild duck, though they often 

 * harry ' the flocks, and create the most dismal terror 

 amongst them. But the remains of duck are often 

 found which are believed to have been killed by the 

 eagles, and with these the bodies of gulls. It is, how- 

 ever, very possible that these birds are killed by the 

 peregrine falcons, of which we say something later. 

 Neither do they attack the Canada geese, though these 

 large and conspicuous birds are constantly in flight 

 between the lake and some adjacent marshes, and must 

 offer a good mark for the eagle's swoop. But the lake, 

 besides wild fowl, holds a great quantity of fish, among 

 them numbers of big bream, running to 6 Ib. or 7 Ib. 

 in weight. These big bream are liable to sickness in 

 the spring, when the waters ' break/ and are full of 

 weed, and float up to the top of the water lying on 

 their sides. They then form a favourite dish for the 

 sea eagles, which flap over the waters, and, dropping 

 their feet, pick up the fish and devour them on the 

 bank. The flight of the eagles is peculiar. As they 



