104 THE EAGLE. 



as if aware at the same time of the uncertainty of always 

 insuring a supply, particularly when they have, in addition 

 to their own wants, their young to provide for, they are in 

 the habit of collecting an over-abundance on the high rocks 

 where their nests are situated, so as to have an ample stock 

 in hand. And so well aware are the North American Indians 

 of these stores, that an Eagle's nest is familiarly called an 

 Indian's larder ; from which the wild hunters can readily 

 supply themselves, at least during the breeding and rearing 

 season, from May to September, with a plentiful store of hares, 

 ducks, and geese, besides fish.* 



In England, though large Eagles are now very rare, natu- 

 ralists have met with similar instances. Mr. Willoughby, an 

 excellent authority, mentions a nest which he saw in the 

 woodlands, near the river Derwent, in the Peak of Derbyshire, 

 about 150 years ago. He described it as about two yards 

 square, formed of great sticks, resting one end on the ledge 

 of a rock, and the other on two birch-trees, upon which 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 and a hare, and three 

 heath-poults. 



But the most particular and curious account of one of 

 these Eagle-nest larders, is related by a gentleman who was 

 visiting at a friend's house in Scotland, near which he went 

 to see a nest, which for several summers two Eagles had 

 occupied ; it was upon a rock or a hill. There was a stone 

 within a few yards of it, about six feet long; and nearly as 

 broad, and upon this stone almost constantly, but always 

 when they had young, the gentleman and his servants found 

 a number of grouse, partridges, hares, rabbits, ducks, snipes, 

 ptarmigans, rats, mice, &c., and sometimes kids, fawns, and 

 lambs. When the young Eagles were able to hop the length 

 of this stone, to which there was a narrow road hanging over 

 a dreadful precipice, the Eagles, he learned, often brought 

 hares and rabbits alive, and placing them before their young, 



* HEARNE'S Journey. 



