A Royal Duel.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2099, 19 December 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

A Royal Duel.

Two f 'roeten who, in the month of D:cawilc U*>t, v.ere p^ing through tr,c roc\.y d< fi 1 of Strathglada, in tin Sooitfrli Il'Lliland^ saw a remarkable incident, namely, a comb.*, between an eagla and a ?Ug. A harA of rf(. dpev wero feeding in the hollow, led by i npUn-hdly iintldrcd ste". Overhead a goida' en^Q was hovering. S'lrMcnly he swooped down upon the neck of l^o l.arfc, bralirg thr animal's hr ad with his ponxrfiM -w ing, fine driving to tear out his cyrg. Th-i sta^ en deavourcd to defend liimF-c'? with bis horns, and succeeded in tumbling hia assailant violently into tho heftthor, ecrervtniqg and with torn plumage. Cut the bird fpcedilj recovered, and uytun swooped down, thi time on the baunohes of hi-i vietioj, and therefore ovi of the roach of hid horus. Hi' talons were buried in the st,>v;'s coat, whil' hia beak tora at the blcodini» il:s'.i. It lookpd as if the bird would actually coiqurr, wbcti the stap tr.^d a new Btritsgira. He llun r ~ himself over in a complete somtrsiuU, bo up tT fall upon tbe eagle, positively rolling him -elfdown the heather shpo. Briiised anr 1 bdttpred, th 3 eagle lo^t his grip, and fell once more with tumbled feathers to tha earth, while tho 6tag set eft at full gallop and sought the friendly shelter of a pine wood, lie was not a Avhit too coon, for tho eagle attempted to roucw the attaok. Finally, the hart, thoroughly bsaten and dismayed, dis appaared in the dark windows o£ tho wood, while tho ra^le, somewhat ruffled from the conflict, was la^t seen soaring away beyond the crags of Corrio Mor. — We condense the foregoing d< tails frcftn an account whioli appeared in tho Diuhj Ttlu/r,ij)h. — London Graphic.