1 8 THE HOME-LIFE OF 



and, like some huge phantom, the Eagle flew away from 

 the nest as we approached. I had one glimpse of her 

 before she left the eyrie, and the attitude in which she was 

 crouching, sheltering the young one from the rain, was 

 so characteristic that, although as usual soaked to the 

 skin, I determined to make an attempt to secure the 

 picture. At 4.45 all was ready, and my companion closed 

 me in as before. The Eaglet was now squeaking loudly, 

 and I began to fear that he might suffer from the cold. 

 Scarcely a quarter of an hour, however, elapsed before the 

 Eagle flapped in through the mist and settled on the far 

 side of the nest. The Eaglet tried to crawl towards her, 

 but as yet his legs were unequal to the effort. The old 

 Eagle advanced a step and glared at the shelter, for the 

 first time noticing the projecting lens. Satisfied that all 

 was well, she settled down in the attitude which I coveted, 

 half of the Eaglet being hidden below her breast. This 

 picture (Plate 6) shows clearly the position in which the 

 Eagle shelters her young when the latter are too large 

 to be covered in the usual way. 



I exposed four plates in quick succession, and then 

 waited for a short time to see if any further development 

 was likely to take place. It was a weird experience, 

 entombed as it were in the bowels of the earth, with 

 the burn roaring in flood below as the torrent hurled 

 itself through the corrie, the wreaths of floating mist 

 around, the rattle of sleet and hail on the rocks, all com- 

 bined to make up a strange picture, which still haunts 

 me in my dreams, enhanced by the darkness of the hiding- 

 place and the gloom around. Opposite me the giant 

 bird brooding like some spectre conjured up by a wizard's 

 hand, but how different was her appearance now from 

 the glorious Raptor as seen on a bright summer's day ! 

 Dripping with wet, her feathers draggled, her plumes 

 matted with the rain, she sat patiently watching the 

 far side of the corrie, turning her head at intervals towards 

 the young one below her breast. 



