JANUARY 37 



the good, for a fox-skin commands five drachmas in 

 Larissa market. Had the woodcocks been in, there 

 would have been one in every bush, we were assured ; the 

 hard weather had driven them to the coast, and only four 

 or five couple were bagged. 



One of the prettiest sights of the day was afforded by 

 a pair of white-tailed eagles which had their eyrie, a huge 

 agglomeration of sticks, in the fork of an immense poplar 

 not more than thirty feet above the ground. They were 

 very bold, and it was not till several shots had been fired 

 that they left their stronghold, and rising slowly on broad 

 pinions to a great height, they continued soaring far 

 above our heads for the rest of the day. Birds of prey, 

 indeed, were much more conspicuous in this preserve 

 than game, and better opportunity could not be had of 

 watching the habits of buzzards (both the rough-legged 

 and common kind), kites, harriers, kestrels, sparrow and 

 other hawks. 



As it wore to afternoon the heat became oppressive : 

 the party was scattered far and wide : game was scarce, 

 and two of us made our way back to the carriages to 

 rejoin a member of the Greek. government who had accom- 

 panied us from Athens. Not being a sportsman, he had 

 not joined in the chase : none the less, however, had he 

 met with his adventure. Visitors to Thessaly are always 

 cautioned about the ferocity of the sheep-dogs. These 

 strong Molossian hounds are prized by the shepherds as 

 the guardians of their flocks against jackals : if a stranger 

 is attacked he may defend himself with a knife; but — 

 such is the custom of the country — if he shoots one of 

 them in self-defence, the shepherds shoot him,, and there 

 is not much chance of redress. Our contemplative friend 



