44 Proceedings of the 



all doubts as to the species were removed. The e3Ty was about 50 feet 

 above us, but as the cliff was somewhat broken and not too perpendicular, 

 and, moreover, there were various plants growing between the rocks which 

 afforded additional handhold, the ascent proved not particularly difficult ; 

 as a matter of fact the subsequent descent was much less easily accom- 

 plished. On reaching the eyry I found two fine j-oung birds entirely 

 covered with thick pure wliite down, and similar in all respects to the one 

 already described. One was a little larger than the other, perhaps it 

 emerged from the &gg a few days earlier, or possiblj' it was a female and 

 alread}- showed the larger size attained by birds of its sex. The birds were 

 both inclined to show fight, sitting upright in the nest and opening their 

 beaks as if to peck. However I soon found their bark, was worse than their 

 bite, as one of them allowed me without resistance to touch and stroke it, 

 and even to put my finger in its beak. Young as they were, however, their 

 beaks were sufficiently formidable looking weapons, and had they been so 

 disposed might have inflicted a severe wound. The rock above projected 

 considerably forwards over the niche in which the nest was placed, so as to 

 form a shelter for it. In size this nest corresponded very closely with the one 

 previously described. It was formed of large sticks, dead heather-stems, 

 tufts of heather, dead rushes (Luzula sylvatica), which grew plentifully 

 among the rocks all about, moss, &c., piled together rather indiscriminately. 

 I do not know any other species of bird that seems to do so little 

 in the way of construction or arrangement of materials as the golden 

 eagle. Even such birds as the ring plover, terns, &c., whose nests are 

 perhaps Httle more than a hollow in the sand or shingle, yet seem to pay 

 some little attention to the arrangement of their materials when any are 

 employed, but the golden eagle, bo far as I can judge, accumulates its 

 materials absolutely regardless of any arrangement or architectural design. 

 I have noticed, however, tliat the nest of the golden eagle shown by 

 Mr. Booth, which is no doubt perfectly acciu-ate to the minutest details, 

 does not consist of such a large mass of materials as those I have seen, 

 and is perhaps a Uttle more carefully constructed. I feel tolerably certain 

 that this was an entirely new nest that year, and that I was the only 

 person who had ever visited it. I judge this from the appearance of the 

 materials, from the fact that there was a slight depression in the middle of 

 the nest, that there were no traces visible on the rocks or weeds on the way 

 up to the nest of any person having at any recent time climbed o\ er them, 

 and from the circumstance that the shepherd did not previously know of it, 

 which he could hardly fail to have done had it been occupied in any former 

 year. The only food in the nest were two legs of hares partly eaten. The 

 old bird continued soaring round far overhead, and we afterwards saw her 

 rather nearer, and could perceive that she had something in her claws, pro- 

 bably a rat or rabbit. I have lately been much pleased to hear from the 

 shepherd that the two eaglets got safely off without any interference ; they 

 did not leave the nest until August, by which time they were almost as large 

 as the old birds, and were fully fledged. From all I can ascertain about 



