52 NATURAL HISTORY IBirds. 



lo the very feet ; and in some (which perhaps may be young 

 birds), the head is hoary. It is of a large size, and very fre- 

 quent in the hills, where it makes its nest in the rocks, which 

 is often placed within reach, and, when this is the case, al- 

 ways becomes a prey to destruction. These birds are very 

 strong, and make vast havock (in breeding-time especially) 

 among lambs, young and old swine, which they often destroy 

 in the mountains, rabbits and poultry. A clergyman some 

 time ago told me, he met with one of them mounted in the 

 air, with a pretty large pig in her talons, which she dropt 

 alive upon his firing at her. We have even a tradition here 

 of an eagle's having taken up a child from behind some reap- 

 ers, in the parish of Orphir, and carried it to her nest in 

 Hoy ; but by the assiduity of the people, who immediately 

 followed her, the child was rescued unhurt*. 



Species 2. — The Sea Eagle. 



Sib. Hist. Scot. 14. Sea Eagle, or Osprey, Wil. Oin. 59. RaiiSyn. Av. 7« 

 Mart. Hist. West. Isles, 10. The Sea Eagle, Brit. Zool. II. 126. Falco 

 Ossifiagus, Lin.Sys. 124. 



This very large species is very often seen, and sometimes 

 surprised on our low shores, feeding on fish, which it has either 



* Vide Sir Robert Sibbald Scot. 111. where the same story is told, though in 

 somewhat a diflereiit manner. 



