WHITE-TAILED EAGLE. 93 



others time-worn and bleached, and a few pieces of seaweed. It is lined 

 with fine and coarse grass, a few leaves of the sea-campion, and one or 

 two tufts of wool and turf, on which the two eggs, slightly dirty with 

 nest-stains, lie so temptingly. Such is an average nest of the White- 

 tailed Eagle. Sometimes, however, it is not so elaborately made, and the 

 soft earth of tlie rock-ledge is almost the only bed on which the eggs 

 lie ; while yet again, when built on a tree, it is often of great size, and is a 

 conspicuoLis object throughout the surrounding district." 



Several instances are recorded of the Sea-Eagle breeding upon the 

 ground, Herr Tancre describes a nest which he found upon the island of 

 Hiddensoe, on the southern shores of the Baltic near Stralsund, on the 

 naked meadow among the reeds. The nest was carefully made of sticks, 

 and was about two feet high. Similar occurrences have been recorded 

 from Jutland and the lagoons of Lower Egypt. 



The eggs of the Sea-Eagle are roundish in form, slightly smaller than 

 Golden Eagle's, and rather coarser in texture, and are pure white in 

 colour; they vary from 3'3 to 2'75 inch in length, and from 2'-L to 2'1 inch 

 in breadth. It is doubtful whether eggs of this bird ever have any true 

 colouring-matter upon them, only a few brownish stains, received, in all 

 probability, from the materials of the nest or the feet of the sitting bird. 

 Although unspotted eggs of the Golden Eagle resemble €ggs of this species, 

 still the much coarser grain of those of the White-tailed Eagle serves as a 

 sure guide by which to determine them. The young are hatched early in 

 June, and are covered with greyish-white down, and remain in the nest some 

 five or six weeks ere they are able to fly. 



There are instances where several eyries of this bird have been built very 

 close together, even in Scotland. Although the birds breed so frequently 

 on the oeean-clifis, still each particular " eraig-an-Iolair " is otherwise 

 deserted of bird-life, the Gulls and the Guillemots keeping at a respectful 

 distance. Sometimes, however, a Peregrine Falcon's nest is quite close to 

 the Eagle's ; and the Raven will not unfrequently rear its young near at 

 hand. 



When able to forage for themselves the young quit their parents' com- 

 pany and their birthplace for ever, becoming thorough wanderers, until, if 

 fortunate, they reach maturity, pair, and select some craggy haunt, some 

 sea-girt fortress or inland loch, as a castle for themselves, or retire to some 

 forest. Although not, perhaps, strictly gregarious, these young birds often 

 hunt at no great distance from each other, searcliing the hills and shores 

 in search of carrion or weakly birds and animals. 



The upper plumage of the White-tailed Eagle is brown. The head and 

 neck are paler, in very old birds almost wliite ; the underparts eliocolate- 

 brown ; tail white ; bill, cere, irides, and feet yellow ; claws bluish black. 

 The female resembles the male, but is somewhat darker, larger in size. 



