A Sportsman 281 



caught on the wing in the open, where they cannot 

 gain the shelter of trees or bushes. 



The eagle is often observed swooping upon the 

 fish -hawk, carrj^ng off its prey in mid-air, frightening 

 the latter to drop its burden, and catching the coveted 

 prize before it falls to the ground. 



Our herders have often observed the eagle chas- 

 ing a hare in the open fields, and catching it in its 

 clutches despite its rapid doublings which so often 

 trick an overtaking greyhound, and often while 

 chasing on the doublings will strike over the hare 

 senseless with a wing blow. 



It has been amusing to witness the eagle chasing 

 a hare which has gained a fence line for protection, 

 passing through the line from side to side more rapidly 

 than the eagle can shift over, by which the hare has 

 been seen to follow a fence line for a mile or so, and 

 consume an hour of time, before a favoring clump of 

 bushes, or trees, or brush heap afforded safe shelter. 



Since writing the above, I have received notice of 

 two more sheep being killed by eagles, which have 

 been unusually plentiful this season, and we have 

 lately killed about fifteen. 



The coyotes have also been plentiful, and of late 

 we have averaged, poisoning and trapping, five or 

 six a month; and despite their plentifulness, we have 

 suffered but lightly from them, owing to the watch- 

 fulness of the herders, and now that the lambing 

 season has commenced from about seven thousand 

 ewes, we give particular care. 



This region on the foothills of the mountains, 

 twenty miles north from Sacramento, so mild and 

 pleasant in winter and free from ice and snow, is one 



