242 THE EAGLE. 



known myself, by so tying them as to increase their cries, 

 which is always found to increase the parent's despatch to 

 procure them provision. It was lucky, however, that the old 

 Eagles did not surprise the countryman as he was thus em- 

 ployed, as their resentment might have been dangerous. 



It happened some time ago, in the same country, that a 

 peasant resolved to rob the nest of an Eagle, that had built 

 in a small island in the beautiful lake of Killarney. He ac- 

 cordingly stripped, and swam in upon the island while the 

 old ones were away ; and, robbing the nest of its young, he 

 was preparing to swim back, with the eaglets tied in a string ; 

 but while he was yet up to his chin in the water, the old 

 Eagles returned, and, missing their young, quickly fell upon 

 the plunderer, and, in spite of all his resistance, despatched 

 him with their beaks and t^ons. 



In order to extirpate these pernicious birds, there is a law in 

 the Orkney Islands, which entitles any person that kills an 

 Eagle to a hen out of every house in the parish in which the 

 plunderer is killed. 



The nest of the Eagle is usually built in the most inacces- 

 sible cliff of the rock, and often shielded from the weather by 

 some jutting crag that hangs over it. Sometimes, however, 

 it is wholly exposed to the winds, as well sideways as above : 

 for the nest is flat, though built with great labor. It is said 

 that the same nest serves the Eagle during life ; and indeed 

 the pains bestowed in forming it seems to argue as much. 

 One of these Willoughby thus describes : " It was made of 

 great sticks, resting one end on the edge of a rock, the other 

 on two birch trees. Upon these was a layer of rushes, and 

 over them a layer of heath, and upon the heath rushes again ; 

 upon which lay one young one, and an addle egg ; and by 

 them a lamb, a hare, and three heath-poults. The nest was 

 about two yards square, and had no hollow in it. The young 

 Eagle was of the shape of a goshawk, of almost the weight of 

 a goose, rough footed, or feathered down to the foot, having a 

 white ring about the tail." Such is the place where the fe- 

 male Eagle deposits her eggs ; which seldom exceed two at 



