BIRDS OF PREY 329 



the flighting duck on the upper waters of the 

 Pungwe River. 



The bustard flew over my head, and falling 

 to my shot about the middle of the stream, 

 began to drift slowly down on the current as 

 my canoe put out to gather it. The frail craft 

 had certainly not made five yards in its direction, 

 however, when the fishing eagle, which I had 

 already observed perched upon a large tree on 

 the opposite side of the river, swooped down and 

 actually seized my bustard, having paid not the 

 smallest attention to the report of the gun. I 

 was only loaded with Xo. 6, but the eagle's stoop 

 brought the great bird into easy range, so I fired 

 both barrels at the thief, and must have given 

 him some painful food for thought. He did not 

 come down, but was so perturbed by the stinging 

 he received that he fortxmately dropped the 

 bustard, which my dusky retrievers duly re- 

 covered. 



I have on several occasions observed among 

 the great birds of prey an astonishing disregard 

 of danger from the moment that their attention 

 has become concentrated upon an object likely 

 to offer something particularly dainty in the 

 nature of a meal. Especially is this peculiarity 

 noticeable in the cases of the crested eagle, the 

 tailless bateleur eagle, and the handsome, cheery 

 bird whose unlawful designs upon the bustard I 

 have just recounted. Usually, with the excep- 

 tion perhaps of the last named, one will seek 

 in vain to stalk them upon their roosting trees. 

 They are up and away upon the first hint of 



