16 CORRACH-BAHj OE, 



tak' ma knife oot o' ma pocket, and cut open this beast's 

 claw." This was done with some difficulty. " Noo gang 

 roond on the ither side, an' ye'll fin' anither job." The 

 man, who had no idea that Peter was grappled on both 

 sides, quickly obeyed, muttering, " Saw I ever sic sorrows 

 o' birds in a' ma life ! " Both eagles were brought safe 

 home, but Peter assured me that he was unable to walk 

 for many a day. 



Another story of a prisoned eagle vindicating his 

 dignity has so much of the comic about it that we forgive 

 the savage revenge. A raw-boned Highlandman came 

 to Robertson's house: u Is your faither at hame?" 

 " No," said one of his children. '' Has na he a tame 

 aigle?" The little girl pointed out the place where it 

 was confined. There was a hole cut at the bottom of 

 the door, where its food was thrown in ; Donald peered 

 cautiously into the hole $ quick as light, the eagle seized 

 his nose, and it was only by a severe struggle, and the 

 cartilage giving way, that he effected his escape. When 

 Peter came home, he found him sitting in a doleful plight, 

 but, having comforted him with a dram, and patched up 

 his nose with sticking plaster, he sent him away with his 

 curiosity quite cured about eagles. 



I mention one more, to show the power of the bird 

 when a mere nestling. Peter and two shepherds had gone 

 to take an eaglet from the nest. The eyrie was a little 

 way from the top of the cliff ; Peter descended to it by a 

 rope, one of the shepherds was a little above him, and the 

 other, who had a very weak head, stipulated for a secure 



