218 WILD SPAIN. 



streaked and splashed with black : the bushy " stockings " 

 and warm reddish-brown tarsi contrasting with the long 

 white " apron " which overlapped them. {See photo.) 



Thus occurred — over twenty years ago— our first intro- 

 duction to Bonelli's Eagle : since then we have met with 

 them frequently in the southern sierras, in the Castiles, 

 and once in the Biscayan Provinces. It is, in fact, the 

 commonest mountain-breeding eagle in Spain, and is 

 easily recognizable by its short, dappled wings, and by the 

 peculiar feature that the middle of the back is white— thus, 

 if seen from above, the bird appears to have a large white 

 spot between the wings. 



In former days, the hill-peasants assert that it bred in 

 quite low rocks, and several such abandoned eyries have 

 been pointed out to us : but we have only seen its nest in 

 the most stupendous rock-walls — places that make one's 

 flesh creep to survey. The two eggs, usually white, but 

 occasionally splashed or spotted, are laid in the early days 

 of February — we have watched these eagles repairing 

 their nest at Christmas. The young in first plumage, 

 like those of the Imperial Eagle, are of a chestnut- tawny 

 hue. The claws of Bonelli's Eagle are remarkably long 

 and powerful, and its chief prey consists of hares, rabbits, 

 and other game. Hares it appears unable to carry up 

 u-hole to its eyry on the heights, tearing them into 

 halves, and birds found in its nest are usually headless. 



The Golden Eagle also breeds in all the mountain- 

 regions of Spain, both in high rocks and occasionally (as 

 above mentioned) on trees. Its nest is often an enormous 

 structure — quite a cartload of sticks. 



The Golden and Bonelli's Eagles are strictly denizens of 

 the mountains : but in autumn both species descend to the 

 plains and marismas in search of prey. On more than 

 one occasion, while shooting on the lowlands in winter, we 

 have secured a Golden Eagle as he flew to roost in the 

 pine-woods : and on Nov. 29th, some years ago, while 

 flight-shooting, a Bonelli's Eagle was so intent on the 

 capture of a winged Buddy Sheldrake {Tadorna rutila) 

 which had fallen to a neighbouring gun, as almost to fly 



