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Hoy. Recently, however, a pair nested in the per- 

 pendicular precipice near the crofter township of Rack- 

 wick, where they hatched their eggs and reared their 

 young in safety. But it is difficult to preserve eagles 

 where farmers, shepherds, and egg-collectors have 

 access to the eyrie. It is therefore only in those wilder- 

 nesses which are afforested that the species can be pre- 

 served in this country, as there they are allowed to 

 harbour and breed without restraint. 



It is now some years since a pair of eagles nested 

 on sheep ground outside the deer forest of Strathconan, 

 at that time the property of Mr. A. J. Balfour. As a 

 number of lambs had disappeared during the previous 

 year, and an eagle had even been seen in the act of 

 carrying one off, the farmer vowed vengeance upon these 

 robbers of his flock. After a number of such depreda- 

 tions, it was at last reluctantly agreed to destroy the 

 eagles. Being consulted in the matter, I suggested that 

 if we could manage to rob the nest, the parents could 

 be spared, seeing it is only when they have to provide 

 for their progeny that they carry off lambs. The keepers 

 feared that to rob the nest was impossible, as the eyrie 

 was in an inaccessible rock. However, taking with us 

 a cart-rope, we wended our way towards the place. 

 Getting above the eyrie, I tied one end of the rope 

 round my waist and prepared to descend. Though very 

 steep, we all managed to get down to a birch tree, to 

 which my companions fastened the other end of the rope, 

 in order partly to relieve them of the strain of my weight. 



