402 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
resting against the large rock was carefully covered over with 
turf. In this ambush I spent nine days watching the carcase of 
a horse which we drove up and shot about eight or nine yards in 
front of the camera. 
I had not taken up my position very long on the first day 
before the ‘‘ swish, swish” of many powerful wings beating the 
air and the sound of their guttural croakings on all sides told me 
plainly enough that the Ravens were beginning to assemble for 
the feast, and I soon had proof that, hidden away in my rocky 
chamber, I was perfectly invisible even to their keen sight. One 
of them even settled on the turf roof just above me, loosening 
some of the soil which fell on to my head. Directly afterwards 
I had the pleasure of seeing first one and then another hop into 
the field of the camera, until there were eight or nine of the 
sable marauders congregated on the body, one sitting on the 
stiffly upstretched hind leg, another on the head, one on the 
belly, and the rest looking for some place of vantage from which 
to begin operations. But, after picking out the eyes, the tough 
skin resisted all their efforts, and for some days they could do 
but little, and after clustering round the body in black clouds 
would leave the spot as soon as I appeared in the morning. 
Sometimes they would not appear again all day at the carcase, 
but their croaks could generally be heard in the neighbour- 
hood. 
It was bitterly cold work waiting so many hours—generally 
nine each day when the light was fairly good—at such an elevated 
post, 7000 ft. above sea-level. Sometimes there was a heavy 
cold mist and snow, and always a piercing wind which penetrated 
freely through all the numerous cracks and fissures in the rocky 
chamber in which I was hidden, and for eight days I did little 
but sit and shiver in spite of the thick garments and rugs I 
took up with me. Putrefaction in consequence was not very 
rapid, and, as the birds appeared unable to make an entry, 
we found it necessary to assist the operations of nature with 
an axe. 
The first Hagle to appear was an Imperial (Aquila imperialis). 
Looking through the camera I saw a large bird flying towards the 
bait, which presently settled, or appeared to do so, on a rock a 
little beyond where I could see it. I saw no more for some time 
