BRITISH BIRDS OF FASTEST FLIGHT 67 
corrie and came over at a very great height. The 
eagle was about and soon after it. I could see 
him overtake the bird, and I would say that he 
struck him the same way as the peregrine does 
with his claw. I saw something drop, but could 
not make out what it was at the time ; then the 
eagle doubled in the air and caught the bird before 
it reached the ground. None of the other eagles 
I have seen after their prey have struck it like this 
in the air. They have always clutched at their 
prey, but this time the eagle struck the bird and 
went right past him. I was not far off, and could 
hear a tremendous noise of the wings. When the 
eagle doubled back and caught the bird in the 
air I would judge that the bird would be as high 
up as three hundred feet, and when he doubled 
back I should think he was not fifty. 
" Perhaps the narrowness of the corrie might be 
the reason for him taking the bird in the way he 
did — I went to the place and found the head of 
the blackcock ; there was about three inches of 
skin hanging to the head, a tear like what would 
be done with the claw. This is the only time I 
ever saw an eagle kill a bird in the air, but it was 
a grand sight. This happened in January 1895, 
in Corrie Vullin, Strathconan." 
