GOLDEN EAGLE. 167 



destroyed,* which, while it shews that the bird 

 is not of that extreme rarity which is some- 

 times supposed, it, at the same time, tells us that 

 if the war of extermination be continued, we shall 

 ere long look in vain for this appropriate orna- 

 ment of our northern landscape. In Ireland it is 

 generally distributed where the situations are 

 favourable, but at the same time is much more 

 uncommon than the Sea Eagle. The Horn Head, 

 the mountain of Rosheen, near Dunfanaghy, 

 Achill Island, and Crovvpatric, are mentioned 

 by Mr Thompson as now or formerly containing 

 eyries on their precipices ; from Rosheen they 

 have been now driven off, on account of the 

 destruction done to the flocks. The nest, placed 

 on a ledge perfectly inaccessible, was set on fire 

 by burning a lighted brand, and was consumed 

 with its tenants ; the parents have since forsaken 

 a station where they had been attacked in a 

 manner so unusual. 



The eyry of the Golden Eagle is placed on 

 the face of some stupendous cliff situated inland ; 

 the nest is built on a projecting shelve, or on 

 some stumped tree that grows from the rock, 

 generally in a situation perfectly inaccessible 

 without some artificial means, and often out of 

 the reach of shot either from below or from the 



* This includes, however, both the Sea and Golden 

 Kagles ; nevertheless the number of old birds is great. 



