AQUILA CHRYSAETUS. 19 



tailed Eagle's nest, we proceeded to visit a noted breeding-place of 

 the Golden Eagle. Here the young ones were destroyed last year 

 by the shepherd's fox-hunting party ; but no one had succeeded in 

 climbing into the nest. As we approached, we saw no cock bird to 

 encourage us ; but several Eagle's feathers were lying about. I saw 

 a nest which was only twenty or thirty feet from a point easily access- 

 ible. Having reached it, I threw stones ; but no bird appeared. I 

 climbed up with considerable difficulty into the nest round an angle 

 of the rock, where T could hardly worm my way, and then only by 

 digging my fingers into the matted rhizomes of Fohjpodmm vulgare, 

 without which I must have fallen over. In the nest, which appeared 

 to be that of last year, I found a foot of a Red Deer fawn. Resting 

 on my hands and knees, I felt, as I thought, a lot of flies crawling 

 on my hands. On closer inspection I saw they were fleas, and my 

 arms and legs were swarming with them. I beat a retreat ; but the 

 point that was before so difficult was far worse in going back. I lay 

 down, my feet first, and got round safe, though the rock pushed me 

 out so much that the weight of a bullet would have overbalanced me. 

 One of my men standing on a ledge below helped me down the last 

 part. Then for the fleas ! With the help of flint and steel a fire was 

 made with moss and heather, and I stripped to the skin. Luckily the 

 day was as hot as could be, and it was very pleasant with a plaid 

 coat over my shoulders. I afforded much merriment to my men 

 and to myself, telling them I was in the dress of the Highlanders 

 before the kilt was invented. After an hour or two's hard picking 

 and smoking, the clothes were handed over to me, one by one, as I 

 sat at some distance, and I extracted a few score more, but still put 

 many around me^. 



This nest was in a situation similar to the others — a platform in a 

 corner, with rock overhanging ; but I was too much frightened at 

 the fleas to make the leisurely examination I had intended. I saw a 

 curious rock-plant^ that I did not observe elsewhere, in two places 

 here ; it had a large pink flower. 



Having cautiously extinguished the fire, we made for the corrie, 

 where the Eagle was said always to build. We presently saw one sail- 

 ing from round the far corner ; but he took to circling, and appeared to 

 be hunting, as he gradually went out of sight. We telescoped the rock 



* Lady Franklin afterwards told me of a notorious nest of fleas in a bell-tower, 

 I think, at Constantinople, into which she went in spite of warning. I have 

 heard of a similar swarm having been met with amongst the shavings in a new 

 house at Rome ; and an adventure of my own among the loose leaves under the 

 lig-tree at Tangier is a fourth instance. 



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