NEST OF PEREGRINE FALCON. 49 



height, and surmounted by a curiously-formed steep cliff 

 the very place for an eagle's nest : I was told that a nest had 

 been destroyed there last year. 



The whole view of Ben Laighal is magnificent, and, in 

 driving round it, we had the advantage of seeing it on every 

 side. Towards the loch the mountain slopes down, covered 

 with bright green herbage ; but to the north and west 

 nothing can surpass the savage grandeur of its rocky 

 precipices. Viewed from Tongue, Ben Laighal is, I think, 

 the most magnificent looking mountain in Sutherlandshire. 

 Our attention was attracted by the cries of the peregrine 

 falcon, and we saw the two birds flying about a high rock. 

 Having hailed a shepherd's boy, we learned where the nest 

 was, and under his guidance climbed up the mountain and 

 a good steep climb it was till we got within a few yards of 

 the nest ; so near, indeed, did we reach, that with two joints 

 of my fishing-rod I could just touch the young birds, who 

 were sitting eyeing us boldly and fearlessly on a ledge of 

 rock where the nest was placed. When, however, we 

 attempted to push them out of the nest, they retired farther 

 in, where they were in tolerable security. All the time we 

 were there the old birds flew screaming over our heads. I 

 did not think of a plan that is adopted sometimes to capture 

 young peregrine falcons when the nest cannot be reached 

 without danger. It is very simple, and succeeds with all 

 the courageous kinds of hawks. A person having reached 

 the top of the rock immediately above the nest, ties a rough 

 blue bonnet, or some similar substance, to a bundle of 

 heather the size of a man's head ; then dropping this 

 attached to a rope upon the nest, the young falcons, instead 

 of being frightened, immediately attack it, and, sticking their 

 talons into the cap, hold on courageously and determinedly 

 till they are dragged up to the top of the cliff. Even then it 

 is sometimes necessary to cut the cap to pieces before they 

 will relinquish their hold. In this way the young birds are 

 captured, without risk to the capturer or injury to them- 

 selves. Indeed, on the present occasion I was not very 

 anxious to get them, as they would probably only have been 

 destroyed in travelling. 



Between Loch Laighal and Tongue, on driving round the 

 corner of a rock, we suddenly came upon two golden eagles 

 who were hunting close to the road. They were nearly 

 within shot of us ; so, leaving the horse and carriage to take 



