A GOLDEN EAGLE. 15 



much difficulty a hole about two feet in depth was dug 

 out, and three rough walls were raised around, the cliff 

 on the fourth side serving as the other. Covering the 

 whole with heather and moss to conceal its artificial 

 character, we returned homewards well pleased with 

 our progress. 



After two days' rest I again resumed operations and 

 decided to stay a night in the forest, the weather being 

 now appalling, the state of the roads rendering the bicycle 

 almost useless. I may say here that considerably more 

 than a thousand miles were covered by me in travelling 

 to and from the nest, and in bad weather the road became 

 almost impassable. The lessees of the forest, who 

 courteously placed the lodge at my disposal, saved me 

 many a weary journey home by their kindness, and on 

 these occasions gave me every possible assistance that 

 could be imagined. 



On our arrival at the nest at 1 1 a.m. we had a 

 magnificent view of the female sheltering her offspring 

 from the storm in a semi-erect attitude (a photograph 

 of which on a subsequent occasion I secured), the 

 remains of two rabbits lying beside her on the ledge. 

 We now proceeded to roof the hiding place with canvas 

 covered with heather and sods of turf, and the stalker 

 devised an opening behind which enabled me to crawl 

 in with the camera on subsequent occasions. All day 

 the rain fell in torrents, and we were soon soaked to 

 the skin. Owing to the cold, which I feared might affect 

 the young Eagle if we stayed longer, we were unable to 

 complete our task satisfactorily. Through the gorge the 

 wind was howling in fierce gusts as we departed, and we 

 were scarcely half way down the corrie when the female 

 soared back towards the eyrie through the white wreaths 

 of floating mist which now obscured the hills from view. 



On the following morning I was early afoot, but the 

 mist was low on the tops and at frequent intervals heavy 

 showers of sleet came driving up the glen from the north. 



