TllK WHITE-TA1U:D EA(}LE. 
/ 
April) were quite fresh and of the usual roundish form, mea- 
suring three inches in length hy two inches and three eiglitlis 
in breadth. In colour they were soiled white, with a few 
faint brownish stains — in all probability received from some 
damp or decaying substance within the nest. The shells 
are always hard and somewhat brittle, and the yolks pale in 
colour. During the last few years, a large number of round- 
ish white eggs have been sold as those of the Erne, but their 
small size, dull and chalky appearance, and exceedingly low 
price, ought to be sufficient to put intending purchasers upon 
their guard. 
I think the young remain in the nest about six weeks. 
The male is occasionally seen upon the eggs, but by far the 
larger part of the task of incubation is performed by the female. 
At first the birds are quite shy, seldom venturing within gunshot, 
but they become much bolder after hatching has taken place, 
though they never, so far as I can ascertain, venture to attack 
an intruder. I have but once seen the young in the nest; 
they were a little more than a week old, and were covered 
with a dingy white down. 
An interesting account of the capture of a White-tailed 
Eagle upon the nest has been recorded by the late Thomas 
Edmondston, jun., as follows*: — ''Eor some years back a very 
expert and daring fowler, Joseph Mathev^son by name, had 
been in the habit of annually robbing the nest of a pair of 
Ernes, which had from time immemorial built on a ledge of 
rock perhaps 400 feet above the level of the sea, on the north- 
west side of the island of Unst. This year he had as usual 
ascended the cliff for that purpose, but finding only two eggs 
(the Erne always laying three, of which one is l)arren), which 
he took, he returned after a few days to get the other, sup- 
posing it to be then deposited. The eyrie was built on a 
tolerably broad ledge of rock, and on coming up to one end of 
it, the nest being concealed from him by an outstanding piece 
of rock, he was aware of the bird being in it by seeing its 
* ZooL, 1843, p. 37. 
