The Ways of Eagles



95



waiting for. She was after the Imperial in a second, and being infinitely

faster caught her up and attacked her from above with vigour. The

Imperial half turned to receive the attack, but, whether from losing her

balance or being actually struck, came to the ground—and again the

Fishing Eagle sat beside her. Mr. Donald continued to advance, and

this time the Fishing Eagle took flight, having a smack at the Imperial

in passing. When the latter took wing the Fishing Eagle did not renew

the attack, because the Mynah was gone, swallowed at one mouthful,

Mr. Donald believed, either as the Imperial Eagle came to the ground,

or when the Fishing Eagle had his parting shot at her.


That this is not an exceptional case of the robbery of Peregrines by

Eagles is shown by the following incident observed by Mr. Donald.

“ Suddenly there is a whir of many wings as a large flock of Mallard,

Pintail, and Teal rise out of the reeds. Hardly have they gone a

hundred yards when the steady, onward, rising flight is turned to a

medley of zig-zags, and a dash for the river. A bolt from the blue has

descended on the luckless flock in the shape of a fine dark Peregrine

Falcon.” The Ducks divide, but the Falcon struck in the middle of

the whirring mass of wings, and brings her quarry to the ground.

But, realizing that the place is too exposed to prying eyes, she presently

takes w r mg, followed by a couple of Kites, which, hov r ever, she out-

strips, despite the burden she carries. Another pursuer now takes up

the chase, to wit, a Steppe Eagle, which strains every nerve to catch up.

The Falcon, nevertheless, has the advantage in distance and altitude,

and appears to be escaping from the Eagle, when two black objects

appear in the sky above her, coming down at tremendous speed. They

are a pair of Pallas’s Fishing Eagles. Profiting by the advantage of

position in the air, one of them strikes, compelling the Falcon to drop

her prey. The other Eagle, following behind, catches the falling Duck

and sails away with the Peregrine, Kites, and Steppe Eagle in hot

chase. The Falcon, mounting to the zenith, stoops with terrific

velocity on to the successful robber, which avoids the onslaught with a

zig-zag turn, and pursuers and pursued disappear behind some distant

trees, leaving the observer to guess the outcome of the episode.


Of all the Eagles Mr. Donald tells us about, the Golden is the only

species which dares eat his meal in the open, or even drop it from her



