BRITISH BIRDS OF FASTEST FLIGHT 65 
blackcock, or ptarmigan (which do not usually 
fly very high above the ground), it would incur a 
serious risk of injury in consequence of being 
carried on by its impetus and dashing against 
the rocks or ground after striking down its 
prey. 
The interesting, and I think significant, fact is 
that although some of these stalkers with w^hom 
I have discussed the question think that the 
peregrine probably flies faster than the eagle, 
every one of them who has seen the eagle kill its 
quarry in this way (and I know several) has told 
me that in his opinion the eagle in its final rush 
is faster than the peregrine. It is also important 
in this connection to bear in mind the fact on 
which Major RadclyfFe lays such stress — that it 
is an optical illusion to imagine that a smaller- 
sized bird is flying faster than a larger bird of 
similar shape and make, and that, as he says, ninety- 
nine sportsmen out of a hundred would probably 
tell you that a snipe flies faster than a woodcock — 
whereas the converse is true. An old keeper in 
the North, whom I have known for many years, 
told me that he had seen the eagle stoop at and 
strike his quarry in this way on two occasions, 
and that it moved in its final downward flight 
