FALCONRY. 81 
Kirghis Steppes, Chinese Tartary and a part of Central 
Asia." “A well-mounted Kirghis held the bearcoote, 
chained to a perch, which was socuied into a socket on his 
saddle. The eagle had shackles and a hood and was per- 
fectly quiet, he was under charge of two men. “We had 
not gone far when several large deer rushed past a jutting 
point of the reeds and bounded over the plain about three 
hundred yards from us. In an instant the bearcoote was 
unhooded and his shackles removed, when he sprung from 
his perch and soared up into the air. I watched him ascend 
as he wheeled round, and was under the impression that he 
had not seen the animals; but in this I was mistaken. He 
had now risen to a considerable height and seemed to poise 
himself for about a minute. After this he gave two or three 
flaps with his wing and swooped off in a straight line towards 
his prey. I could not perceive that his wings moved, but 
he went at a fearful speed. There was a shout, and away 
went his keeper at full gallop followed by many others. 
When we were about two hundred yards off the bearcoote 
struck his prey. The deer gave a bound forward and fell; 
the bearcoote had struck one talon into his neck, the other 
into his baek, and with his beak was tearing out his liver. 
The Kirghis sprang from his horse, slipped the hood over 
the eagle's head, and the shackles upon his legs, and removed 
him from his prey without difficulty. The keeper mounted 
his horse, his assistant placed the bearcoote on his perch, 
and he was ready for another flight. No dogs are taken out 
when hunting with the eagle, they would be destroyed to a 
certainty ; indeed, the Kirghis asserts that he will attack and 
kill the wolf. We had not gone far before a herd of small 
antelopes were seen feeding on the plains. Again the bird 
soared up in circles as before, and again he made the fatal 
swoop at his intended victim, and the animal was dead before 
we reached him. The bearcoote is unerring in his flight; 
unless the animal can escape into holes in the rocks, as the 
fox does sometimes, death is his certain doom." In another 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. IV. 11 
