248 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



far as the south of England. I lately saw a young one shot 

 on the banks of the Thames, and preserved by a bird-stuffer in 

 Henley. 



In the islands and wilder sea-coasts of Scotland, the erne 

 may be met with the whole year, and is much less rare than 

 the national bird. It is also more shy, which may perhaps 

 be accounted for by its oftener coming in contact with man, 

 its most hated foe. 



A cursory glance will show how much more vulture-shaped 

 both the bill and body of the sea-eagle are than those of the 

 mountain one. She also partakes of the nature of the vulture, 

 in having a less dainty palate than the golden eagle, and, 

 being not near so quick a game destroyer, is more apt to 

 devour what she does not strike down. Even carrion does 

 not come amiss, especially in winter. Young sea-fowl and 

 flappers are a favourite summer food ; and when she builds 

 inland, no more frequent prey is found in her eyrie than a 

 young wild-duck before it is able to fly. We can thus trace 

 her partiality for the moor-lochan or the sea-coast when choos- 

 ing a habitation for her young : it is that she may feed them 

 with the flappers and wild-fowl nestlings so plentifully scattered 

 around, and so easily secured. When this supply fails, she is 

 often fain to content herself with carcasses left upon the in- 

 land swamp, or cast up by the tide on the sea-shore. Most 

 likely to prey upon them is the great motive for her winter 

 wanderings when food grows scarce in the wilds. 



THE OSPREY. 



The osprey, or water-eagle, frequents many of the Highland 

 lochs : a pair had their eyrie for many years on the top of an 

 old -castle on a small island in Loch Lomond. I am sorry to 

 say I was the means of their leaving that ruin, which they 

 had occupied for generations. When a very young sports- 



