GOLDEN EAGLE. 455 



It was the female : greyish on the back, and altogether 

 lighter coloured than the male. One of the eggs was 

 hatched when I drove her from the nest. I do not 

 think the male and female sit alternately, which I have 

 heard affinned ; but it is well known, that after the 

 yomig are hatched, and about a week or ten days old, 

 the male will nourish and bring them up as well as the 

 female; but this only, I suppose, when the latter hap- 

 pen to be killed or trapped. 



" There are never more than a pair in one glen, and 

 they invai'iably build in the most inaccessible rocks they 

 can find. There are generally two pairs in this parish ; 

 and when either a male or a female is killed, its place 

 is soon filled up by another. Wherever they go to 

 find mates, they are seldom more than a day, never ex- 

 ceeding two, absent from their haunts. The depreda- 

 tions which they commit are principally confined to 

 hares, rabbits, ptarmigan and red grous. They are not 

 so destructive to the lambs as foxes, though there is no 

 doubt they occasionally dine upon lamb as well as 

 theii- betters. When very hungry they will attack and 

 seriously injure, if not entirely kill, much larger ani- 

 mals. 



" Some years ago, during a severe storm, a large 

 one sat upon the back of a three-year-old wedder, into 

 which he had fastened his talons so effectually that the 

 shepherd, who was in attendance on the flock, got time 

 to kill him with his staff. I pledge myself to the truth 

 of this statement, as the occurrence took place within 

 my own recollection, on the farm of Gleneffock, occu- 

 pied by Mr Welsh, and the man who killed the eagle 

 is still alive and residing in this parish. 



