Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), circa 1910, two full mounts in large diorama display, one with hare prey, wings outstretched and looking to the left, on snow covered grassy cliff edge, the other bird perched close by, in original painted wood and glazed case with blue painted sky background, raised on turned legs with castors, 191cm by 92cm by 197cm See illustration

Provenance: The Stephenson Clarke Estate, Fasnakyle, Scotland.

Stephenson Robert Clarke was born on 1 July 1862. He was educated at Winchester and spent some time in France. His interest in birds began early, and he always said that much of his French was learned from a somewhat illicit acquaintance with French bird-catchers. In 1880 he was gazetted to the Royal Sussex Light Infantry Militia, which later became 3rd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment, a battalion which he commanded in later life, from 1906-1912. He served in the South African War and was mentioned in despatches. He became Hon. Colonel in 1909, and received the C.B. in 1911. He was a JP of Sussex for many years and High Sheriff in 1915. He also served on the committee of the British Ornithologist's Club from 1919-1924. As a young man he went on a voyage around the world. He was particularly attracted by the fauna of New Zealand and there made his first collection of birds. Between 1908-1912 he made several trips to various parts of Africa and acquired what was, at that time, a considerable collection of African birds. He discovered a new Barbet in Northern Rhodesia which he named Lybius chaplini. In 1923 he presented his African collection to the British Museum. His bird interest was not simply confined to Africa, but extended to as far as China. In this Lord Rothschild later took part as well, and some fifteen hundred skins were divided between the British Museum and Tring. Colonel Clarke also gave the Museum a small collection made by F Ludlow in Turkestan. In all he presented nearly 10,000 birds to the