248 THE EAGLE* 



happened to a native of the Isle of Skie, called Neil, wha, 

 when an infant, was left by his mother in the field, not far 

 from the houses on the north side of Loch-Portrie ; an Eagle 

 came in the mean time and carried him away in his talons 

 as far as the south side of the loch, and there laid him on the 

 ground. Some people that were herding sheep there per- 

 ceived it, and hearing the infant cry, ran immediately to its 

 rescue ; and by good providence found him untouched by the 

 Eagle, and carried him home to his mother. He is still living 

 in that parish, and by reason of this accident is distinguished 

 among his neighbors by the sirname of Eagle." Ray men- 

 tions an instance of a child a year old being seized by an 

 Eagle in one of the Orkneys and carried to the eyry, about 

 four miles distant. But the mother, who was aware of its 

 situation, pursued the bird thither, found her child in the 

 nest, and took it home unhurt. It is not improbable that 

 some similar circumstance gave rise to the impression of an 

 Eagle and child on the coin of the Isle of Man. 



Other parents have been less fortunate in rescuing their 

 children from the power of the Eagle. The following instance 

 is from Landt's " Description of the Feroe Islands" : " The 

 white-tailed Eagle built its nest formerly on Tintholm, where 

 some ruins of houses still show that a family once resided. 

 The Eagle one day darted down on a young child, which 

 was lying at a little distance from its mother, and carried it 

 to its nest. The mother hastened to the rock where the nest 

 was constructed, and which is so steep towards the summit 

 that the most experienced and boldest bird-catchers have 

 never ventured to climb up it ; but the poor woman arrived 

 too late, for the child was already dead, and its eyes torn out." 

 Another instance occurred in the parish of Norderhougs in 

 Norway, in 1737. As a boy, upwards of two years of age, 

 was running from the house to his parents, who were at work 

 in the fields at no great distance, an eagle pounced upon him 

 and carried him off in their sight, in spite of the poor little 

 fellow's screams and efforts. It is even stated by Anderson, 

 in his " History of Iceland," that the same unhappy fate has 



