138 AMID THE HIGH HILLS 
acute observers amongst ornithologists wrote as 
follows : "In another part of the Western 
Highlands of Scotland we had an opportunity 
of witnessing the powers of flight of this bird 
in pursuit of its quarry. An old blackcock was 
sprung and was instantly pursued by the eagle 
(who must have been on a neighbouring rock 
unperceived) across the glen, the breadth of 
which was at least 2 miles. 
" The eagle made several unsuccessful pounces, 
but as there was no cover and the bird large, it 
probably fell a victim in the end."^ 
Lastly, as I have already said in the pages 
just mentioned where I have fully discussed the 
matter, the eagle on rare occasions swoops down 
at a terrific pace on his prey in the air, striking 
it to the ground but not clutching it or, to use 
the falconer's phrase, binding on it. 
The eagle has a great partiality for liares, cats, 
young fox cubs, and young lambs. I remember 
James Macintosh, head stalker at Loch Rosque, 
telling me that on two occasions whilst waiting at 
a fox den he had shot an eagle. He added that, 
whilst the old foxes are away, the cubs, when they 
^ Ornithological Dictionary of Birds, by Col. G. Montagu : 2nd 
edition by James Rennie, London, 1831. 
