THE WHITE-TAILED EAGLE 45 



found two eider ducks, one hen red-breasted merganser, 

 one hen goosander, and a brace of long-tailed duck. 

 Certainly no stinting of rations. On another occasion 

 close on a dozen cod-fish of various sizes were found in 

 a nest. I believe the grey gurnard is a favourite article 

 of food with this eagle, on account of the habit of these 

 fish of swimming near the surface of the water. 



It is generally the first days of August before the 

 young Sea Eagles are able to leave the eyrie. As the nest 

 is frequently placed on high cliffs overlooking the sea, 

 it is thus necessary that the eaglets should be strong on 

 the wing before they make their initial flight. This, the 

 following incident will show. A young Sea Eaglet on 

 making its first flight from the eyrie set out seawards. 

 The parent bird pursued its child, and convinced it of 

 its mistake. The eaglet now endeavoured to regain 

 the land, but its strength was not sufficient to carry it 

 back to safety, and it fell into the water. The parent 

 bird, showing the greatest anxiety, succeeded in picking 

 up the youngster, and even in carrying it a short distance, 

 but before the land had been gained was obliged to drop 

 the unfortunate eaglet, which perished in the waves. 



A couple of Sea Eagles, taken from the eyrie when 

 young, once became so tame that they joined their owner 

 on his walks, circling in the air high above him, and even 

 retrieving his game. They were unfortunately shot by 

 a sportsman who imagined they were wild representatives. 



The prey of the Sea Eagle consists by no means en- 

 tirely of fish. On one occasion a specimen was seen in 

 hot pursuit of a grouse. The line of flight of the fugitive 

 took it across a sea loch. Upon reaching the farther 

 shore of the loch, the grouse dropped suddenly to the 

 ground and darted into a hole amongst the rocks, just 

 above the level of the water. The eagle, somewhat at 

 a loss for a plan of action, took up its station on the top 



