CORRACH-BAH; OR, A PLEA FOR THE WASTES. 233 



peered cautiously into the hole : quick as light, the eagle seized 

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

 lage 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. 1 



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 berth 

 at the top. Peter passed the eaglet to the first man, who, 

 in like manner, gave it safely to him at the top. But 

 he having most likely given it a nervous twitch it seized 

 him fiercely. Down he fell on his back, dread of toppling 

 over into the abyss drowning all sense of pain. Up came the 

 other shepherd ; but when he saw the man moaning and help- 

 less, he was seized with such an uncontrollable fit of laughter 

 that he could give no assistance. "When Peter reached the 

 top, he drew man and eaglet upon firm ground, and then 

 extricated the claw. As soon as he found himself upon level 

 ground and free, he rushed at his jocose neighbour, and Peter 

 had some difficulty in preventing a battle. It was a mortal 

 affront to mention an eagle in this man's presence ever after. 



But we have now got back to Peter's cottage. Loch Tulla 



1 It will hardly be believed, but is nevertheless true, that when a male and a 

 female eagle were confined in the same cage, the latter, always much the larger 

 and more powerful bird, devoured its mate in a fit of hunger ! The same unnat- 

 ural cannibalism was seen by my son in the fox. At Minnesota he caught three 

 cubs, keeping them in the same kennel. The strongest always drove away the 

 others from the food-dish, and consequently soon grew to be a third larger than 

 its companions. The man who looked after them forgot to bring their food for 

 several days, and when my son went to the fox-house, expecting to find the poor 

 creatures dead or dying, he descried the large one sitting comfortably on its tail, 

 its sides distended to an enormous extent, and the remains of the other two beside 

 him ! The wretch was inflated by his own kith and kin. 



