200 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



although formerly plentiful, and breeds only in a few 

 localities in the wild and secluded western littoral. It 

 has long ceased to breed on the Blasket Isles. 



Breeding habits : The White-tailed Eagle is a 

 resident in the British Islands, but wanders about con- 

 siderably during the non-breeding season. Its breeding- 

 grounds are now almost exclusively confined to the ocean 

 cliffs that occur so frequently on the western coasts of 

 Scotland and in the Hebrides. It occasionally breeds 

 in more inland districts, although never very far from 

 the sea, in localities similar to those selected by the 

 preceding species, or even on an island in a large moun- 

 tain loch. This Eagle also pairs for life, and returns 

 year by year to breed in one particular spot, to which it 

 is much attached, and which has been the site of an 

 Eagle's eyrie for time out of mind. It may not be any 

 more social than the Golden Eagle, but eyries are fre- 

 quently found rather close together, and as likely as not 

 a Peregrine's nest may be met with in the same range of 

 cliffs. Many eyries are quite inaccessible, others are 

 placed in comparatively easy situations, which may be 

 climbed to without the aid of a rope. The nest is usually 

 made in some crevice or on a ledge of the cliffs, often 

 sheltered by an overhanging crag. Sometimes it is made 

 in a tree ; and instances are on record where a large bush 

 on an island has been chosen. The nest, which is gener- 

 ally patched up and added to each season, is a vast pile 

 of sticks and branches, matted and interlaced, pieces of 

 sea-weed and turf, and lined with dry grass, leaves of 

 the sea-campion and bunches of wool. In some cases, 

 however, the nest is nothing near so elaborate, little more 

 than a hollow in the bare earth on the rock-ledge ; whilst 

 the nests that are made in trees are generally the largest- 

 The White-tailed Eagle sits lightly, although if the eggs 

 are much incubated the bird is made to leave them with 



