CH. V. PEREGRINE FALCONS GOLDEN EAGLES. 71 



birds flew screaming over our heads. I did not 

 think of a plan that is adopted sometimes to cap- 

 ture young peregrine falcons when the nest can- 

 not 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 themselves. 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 care of them- 

 selves, we jumped out, gun in hand, to try to get 



