BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 185 



and in any case most wild creatures have a violent 

 end. 



Speaking of the conditions of captivity, we may say that 

 we have known an Eagle kept in captivity for fifteen 

 years remain in very good condition, and continue to 

 take the abundant exercise and daily baths which a 

 roomy cage and good tank allowed it. It is often put 

 forward in defence of the miserable coops allotted to 

 Eagles and others in most zoological gardens that these 

 birds become sluggish and vvdture-like, not showing any 

 desire to move so long as they are well fed ; a large cage 

 is therefore wasted on them. What conditions are respon- 

 sible for this discrepancy of observation we cannot say. 



In the wild state the Golden Eagle has a circum- 

 polar distribution, but is much less common in the 

 British Isles than formerly. In the west and north- 

 west of Ireland a few still linger ; once it was abundant 

 and widespread. Up till about two centuries ago it 

 nested in Wales and Derbyshire ; up till about a 

 century ago in the Lake District ; and up till about 

 half a centuiy ago in the Scottish lowlands. To all 

 these districts it is now only a rare autumn wanderer. 

 From Orkney it has also vanished, and it is now confined, 

 as a British-breeding species, to the Highlands and the 

 Hebrides. There it receives protection against collectors 

 and others from the proprietors and tenants of many 

 of the vast deer-forests, where its grouse-eating propen- 

 sities are not greatly objected to. 



The nest is sometimes in a tree, more often on a 

 mountain - ledge ; both sites are found in use in Scot- 

 land. The nest is a large platform of sticks, lined 

 with softer materials. The same structure is often added 

 to year after year, and may attain great size. Laying 

 begins early, at the beginning of April as a rule, even 



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