14 BIRDS OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND. 



though perhaps more dangerous residence the estuary of the 

 Tyne where, although an abundant supply of both game birds 

 and wild fowl could have been secured, the same partiality for 

 harmless plunder has characterized their visits Lord Binning, 

 who has for several years closely observed the ornithological 

 features of East Lothian and the neighbouring county of Berwick, 

 informs me that a female bird of this species "was shot at 

 Tyninghame, in December, 1858, by Mr Inglis, gamekeeper. It 

 had been seen for several days in the fir -woods near the shore, and 

 appeared to have lived entirely on fish during that time, as three 

 or four good-sized fish, in various stages of decomposition, were 

 found in its stomach. Though in good condition and plumage, 

 this was evidently not an aged or even adult bird, as shown by 

 the uniform dark colour of the plumage, and the light colour 

 of the bill." 



Between East Lothian and the eastern portion of Caithness 

 there are a few occasional resting places for this species, but no 

 permanent haunt until we reach the Orkney and Shetland islands. 

 Formerly, both Golden and White tailed Eagles were very com- 

 mon, if not abundant, throughout that northern group. Even at 

 the time of Bullock's visit in 1812, their frequent onslaughts on 

 the farm yard apparently caused much anxiety among the 

 inhabitants, who must have appreciated in no small degree the 

 laudable efforts of that early representative of the British collector 

 to reduce their numbers. The following quotation from a curious 

 little book published by Mr Bullock as a guide to his celebrated 

 museum, may not be without interest : 



"The young ones were taken on the 10th of June, 1812, when 

 about three weeks old, from their eyrie on the tremendous cliffs 

 called the West Craigs in the isle of Hoy (one of the Orkneys), 

 the towering rocks of which rise to the perpendicular height of 

 1200 feet from the sea. About one third of the way of this awful 

 abyss a slender pointed rock projected from the cliff, like the 

 pinnacle of a Gothic building. On the extremity of this is a 

 hollow, scarcely of sufficient size for the purpose, -these birds had 

 fixed on as a place of security for rearing their young; the 

 situation was such as almost to defy the power of man to molest 

 their habitation ; yet with the assistance of a short slender rope 

 made of twisted hogs' bristles, did the adventurous climber or 

 rocksman ' Wooley Thomson' traverse the face of this frightful 



