4 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



sometimes only one. When there are three, one is generally 

 addled, and not so well coloured as the other two, and they vary 

 extremely both in size and colour. 



" Golden Eagles generally breed year after year in the same place, 

 though they often have two or three eyries near together,- espe- 

 cially when the nests are harried frequently. They sit for about 

 twenty-one days, and are very reluctant to leave the nest when it is 

 first discovered, though afterwards they do not sit so hard. I have 

 seen an eagle sit on its nest for some minutes after a double shot was 

 fired within one hundred yards in full view of the bird; but when 

 once they know that the nest is discovered, they are much wilder. 

 As for the stories, about people being attacked by eagles when taking 

 their nests, I do not believe them, as I have never seen one come 

 within gunshot of a person at the nest, and I never saw any one 

 who could vouch for a story of this sort on his own knowledge. 

 In a deer forest eagles are of the greatest advantage, and it is a pity 

 that foresters should be allowed to destroy them, as, though they 

 occasionally take a red deer calf, yet, in most cases, the forest is 

 all the better for the loss of the weakest ones, and they confer a 

 great benefit on the deer-stalker by the destruction of the blue hares, 

 which form their favourite food. One of the most interesting 

 sights to a lover of nature is to see an eagle, soon after its young 

 ones have left the nest, teaching them to kill their own prey by 

 dashing amongst a covey of ptarmigan poults, which gives the awk- 

 ward young eagle a good opportunity of catching one when 

 separated from the old birds. On a sheep farm, where game is 

 scarce, it cannot be denied that eagles do a good deal of harm in 

 the lambing season, but in such cases it is best to take the eggs as 

 soon as laid, which does not cause them to leave the district, though 

 it relieves them of the necessity of providing food for the young 

 ones. I do not think that the Golden Eagle often lays a second 

 time after its nest has been robbed, and although an instance may 

 happen occasionally, it is certainly not the rule. 



" On a bright hot day, without much wind, eagles are fond of 

 soaring round and round at a great height above the top of a 

 mountain, more, I think, for exercise than in search of prey, as the 

 hill top itself is sufficiently elevated to command a great extent of 

 country. In this manner they can fly for some time without any 

 perceptible motion of the wings, though the tail is often turned 

 from side to side to guide the flight. The points of the primary 



