6 BIRDS OF LOCH AND MOUNTAIN 



extent each spring, although the eggs are laid in 

 the new structure. In one glen that I know of 

 there are three eyries within half a mile of each 

 other two of them deserted. Last spring the 

 Eagles repaired to a certain extent one of the eyries 

 which they had not used for years, although they 

 did not ultimately nest there. If the hen bird is 

 killed just before the nesting season, the male 

 will sometimes himself repair the eyrie, although 

 it is not very neatly done, and will use it as 

 a kind of larder. The Golden Eagles rarely use 

 any call note, but in early spring male and female 

 soar round and round each other, uttering a ring- 

 ing note sounding not unlike the cry of the wild 

 geese. Sometimes, when the hen is flushed from 

 the eyrie, she will use the same note, but she 

 usually soars up in silence. 



The eggs are laid about the first week of April, 

 and the young are hatched out a month or so later. 

 The Eagle is very tame when brooding, and will 

 not leave the eyrie until absolutely obliged to do 

 so. Before the young are hatched the hen bird, 

 when disturbed, usually flies right away from the 

 eyrie, and is not seen again while the intruder is near 

 the nest. She usually alights on a rock commanding 

 a good view of her eyrie, and watches proceedings 

 from there. The Eaglets, when first hatched, are 

 like little balls of down, with pink eyes, and squeak 

 plaintively when taken up in the hand. They 

 grow very rapidly, and leave the eyrie early in 

 July. A great deal has been said and written about 

 Eagles attacking anyone attempting to steal their 

 eggs or young ; but, as far as my experience goes, 

 there is not the slightest ground for this belief. 

 Usually, when one is photographing the young 



