64 AMID THE HIGH HILLS 
in a downward flight, assuming that both birds 
are putting forth all their powers. 
As regards the evidence of eye-witnesses, I have 
discussed this question with many stalkers. The 
majority of them have never seen the eagle stoop 
at its quarry and strike it a blow which sends it 
to the ground as the peregrine so often does — 
though they have seen the eagle seize its quarry 
in the air or pounce on it on the ground and 
carry it off. Only a few of these, however, 
have any doubt as a result of what they have 
heard from other stalkers and keepers that 
the eagle on occasion does adopt the former 
method. 
It is, however, an undoubted fact that although 
the eagle generally captures birds which he is 
pursuing by seizing them in his talons or, to use 
the falconer's term, binding on them, he occasion- 
ally stoops on and strikes them in the air, sending 
them hurtling to the ground in the same way as the 
peregrine does. 
The reason why the eagle so rarely adopts this 
method is probably because it can secure its prey 
without doing so, and further if it were to exert all 
its powers when descending from a considerable 
lieight at an angle near the vertical on a grouse. 
