70 THE BOOK OF BIRDS 



and carried off to its eyrie. A search-party was got 

 together, and the child was found, quite dead, in the nest 

 some miles away. 



A happier fate was that of a little Irish baby, who 

 was pounced on as she lay beside the wall of a potato 

 patch, in one of the wildest parts of Donegal. The father 

 and mother were working close by, and loud was the outcry 

 as the great bird was seen flying off towards its nest. 

 Calling to his neighbours, the poor father hurried off to the 

 mountain, on a ledge of which the nest was known to be. 

 The rock was steep, and looking down from the top the 

 rescuers might well shake their heads at the dangerous 

 descent. But no time was to be lost if the child was to be 

 saved. They could see its clothes fluttering in the nest, as 

 the wind blew round the crag. Then one man began to 

 scramble down towards the ledge. 



The Eagle grew uneasy at the sight of some one ap- 

 proaching her nest. She guessed, as birds and animals 

 will, what it was that made him come, and suddenly 

 catching up her strange prize in her strong claws, she rose 

 into the air, and flew away with it to a great distance. 

 The search-part}^ watched her with despairing eyes, but 

 presently they saw the long wings sail lower and lower, 

 and she alighted on the ground. The next moment she 

 again rose into the air and they could see that she had left 

 the baby lying on the grass. 



You may imagine with what joyful speed they set forth 

 running to fetch the baby who had survived those two 

 wonderful journeys through the air. Few indeed are the 

 children who have had an Eagle's nest for a cradle, and 

 have lived to be told the story. ^ 



1 1 am indebted for the substance of this story to my friend Mrs. Luddington, 

 who visited the spot some years ago. 



