398 Unexplored Spain 
on water, now soaring upwards in widening circle; but all the 
time gaggling and protesting against the outrage in strident 
tones that we could hear a mile away. Never, so far as eyesight 
could reach, did the assailant make good his hold. 
Months afterwards—it was before daybreak on December 28 
(1898)—the authors lay awaiting the “early flight” of geese at 
the Puntal, hard by, when an eagle (whether the same or not) 
appeared from out the gloom, made a feint at No. 1’s decoy-geese 
(made of wood), passed on and fairly “stooped” at those of No. 2. 
A moment later the great bird-of-prey fell with resounding 
splash, and proved to be (so far as we know) the only sea-eagle 
ever shot in Spain—a female, weight 124 lbs., expanse just 
under 8 feet. 
This is not the only instance in our experience of eagles 
hunting before the dawn. We recall several others. Appar- 
ently, if pressed by hunger, eagles start business early—almost 
as early as we do ourselves. 
Sporrep Hace (Aquila naevia).—This also, like the last, is 
scarcely a Spanish species; but a beautiful example, heavily 
spotted, was shot in September in the Pinar de San Fernando by 
our friend Mr. Osborne of Puerto Sta. Maria. It was one of a 
pair. 
PEREGRINE AND PARTRIDGE.—CORRAL QUEMADO, Jan. 27, 1909. 
While posted on a mesembrianthemum-clad knoll during a big- 
game drive, troops of partridges kept streaming out from the 
covert behind. Their demeanour struck both me and the next 
gun posted on a knoll 200 yards away. Across the intervening 
glade, almost bare sand but for astray tuft of rush or marram-grass, 
the partridge ran to and fro in a dazed sort of way, crouching flat 
as though terror-stricken, or standing upright, gazing stupidly in 
turn. None dared to fly, though some were so near they could not 
have failed to detect me. The mystery was solved when a 
peregrine swept close overhead and made feint after feint : yet not 
a partridge would rise. Well they knew that the falcon would 
not strike on the ground; but what a “soft job” it would have 
been for a goshawk or marsh-harrier! Presumably partridge dis- 
criminate between their winged enemies and in each case adapt 
defence to fit attack. 
An interesting scene was terminated by a lynx trotting out by 
