88 RECREATIONS OF A NATURALIST 



no great distance. But the Eagle was there, too. 

 High above all, and perched upon a lofty crag, he 

 sat so still that he would have escaped notice 

 altogether had he not given a vigorous shake of 

 his wings to get rid of the falling snow just as our 

 spy-glass was slowly sweeping the skyline. We 

 sat down to have a longer look at him, and all we 

 wished for was a better light. He was within 

 range of a rifle, and for a moment we calculated 

 the distance and speculated on the result of a shot. 

 But the idea was at once dismissed as base. 

 Eaeles were too seldom seen to be treated in that 

 fashion, and the pleasure of seeing one alive amid 

 such wild surroundings far outweighed any 

 satisfaction that could arise from contemplating 

 his lifeless form. All that we thought of doing 

 was to get as near as possible to him before he 

 took wing. Nearer and nearer we approached, 

 until at length the huge pinions were unfolded 

 and with two mighty flaps the great bird launched 

 itself in the air and flew heavily out of sight. 



Hardly had the Eagle disappeared from view 

 when we found ourselves sooner than we expected 

 in the haunts of Ptarmigan. A brood rose within 

 twenty yards of us, and, flying a short distance, 

 pitched again in a spot which we could easily reach. 

 So tame did we find them that we were able to sit 

 down within shot of them and have a good look at 

 them through our glasses. It was a great treat to 

 observe at such close quarters these most inacces- 

 sible of all British birds. Inaccessible, that is, as 

 regards their lofty haunts, but tame enough when 



