4 BIRDS OF LOCH AND MOUNTAIN 



snow, which broke down the branch on which 

 the nest was built. Luckily, however, branch and 

 eyrie were caught on another branch a little lower 

 down, and there remained ; next spring the Eagles 

 returned to their home as if nothing had happened. 

 When a new eyrie is being built, the old birds 

 begin to look for a suitable nesting site in February, 

 if the winter be open, and building operations are 

 commenced during March. The usual situation for 

 the eyrie is on an ancient pine, or on a ledge of 

 rock commanding a good outlook. When a tree 

 is chosen, the eyrie is usually placed on some large 

 branch about half-way up, and at some distance 

 from the trunk. It is very strange that the Eagles 

 prefer quite a small cliff to nest on, or a tree 

 which can easily be climbed, while there are 

 usually inaccessible precipices or unclimbable trees 

 in the neighbourhood. 



The eyrie is composed almost entirely of pine 

 branches, very large near the bottom, and getting 

 gradually smaller towards the top. It is a re- 

 markable fact that the Eagles never use dead 

 branches for the eyrie, but always break them off the 

 trees ; and if these branches are examined, it will be 

 found that nearly every one bears the marks of the 

 Eagle's strong beak where it has broken them off. 

 The inside of the eyrie is usually lined with rough 

 grasses, upon which the eggs rest. Once I found in 

 an eyrie a large red rubber ring, which the Eagles 

 evidently thought improved the look of their home. 

 The eggs number two as a rule, but sometimes 

 three are found. At times the Eagles will leave 

 their old eyrie, and will build a new one in the 

 vicinity ; but they seem loth to desert their old 

 home altogether, as they repair it to a certain 



