16 THE HOME-LIFE OF 



At 8 a.m., however, we made a start, and again saw 

 the female flap slowly away from the eyrie as we 

 approached. She had evidently just fed the 

 Eaglet, for he seemed sleepy and contented, while the 

 torn carcase of a grouse lying beside him showed that 

 a feast had been in progress. Covering him again care- 

 fully with my cap, we started work, and rebuilt one of 

 the walls of the " bothy " which seemed inclined to 

 collapse. The stones used for this purpose were all 

 carried and rolled for a considerable distance down the 

 cliff — a somewhat arduous undertaking. 



All being now ready, and two peep-holes having been 

 arranged, I crawled into the hiding-place, and succeeded 

 in arranging the camera to my satisfaction. My ally then 

 closed me in with thick bunches of heather, and, wishing 

 me luck, took his departure according to my instructions. 



For the first time in my life I was now alone 

 with the Eagles in a hiding-place commanding a view 

 of the nest. The young Eagle lay asleep, like a 

 mere bunch of white down, in the huge structure. 

 The wind moaned in strange, piercing gusts, which 

 echoed and re-echoed from the rocks, and the burn 

 roared furiously in spate below. A frail wall of stones 

 alone separated me from the edge of the cliff, and through 

 my peep-hole I could see the mist rolling in endless 

 wreaths along the opposite face, though as yet the nest 

 itself was clear. An hour passed by and still the 

 Eaglet slept, protected from the drenching rain by the 

 ledge of rock projecting from above. At 1.30 p.m. 

 a dark shadow flitted across the peep-hole, and, peering 

 cautiously out, I saw the giant bird sitting on the ledge 

 close to the nest. The Eaglet was now squeaking lustily, 

 but the mother had brought no food and seemed rest- 

 less, staying only a few seconds before she flapped away. 

 Ten minutes later she settled again on the edge of the 

 eyrie, and seemed quite unsuspicious of my hiding-place. 

 She was gazing anxiously at the sleeping Eaglet, and, 



