50 
DESTRUCTION OF BIRDS OF PREY IN THE 
HEBRIDES. 
HE true headquarters of the nobler British birds of prey 
are in Scotland, on the “ rock-bound coast and savage 
islands of the stormy West.” Among the islands 
especially, almost every species is more abundantly re- 
presented than anywhere else. The Kite, indeed, is the only 
common bird of the group that is wanting, though from time to 
time a straggler has been found in the Isle of Skye. 
The Golden Eagle, though still probably more abundant on 
the outer Hebrides thai> anywhere on the mainland, has 
gradually become very scarce. It may, indeed, at times be seen 
on any one of the Hebrides, but its eyrie is a sight that rarely 
gladdens the eyes of the most adventurous amateur. The first 
opportunity I had of really seeing this noble bird was on the 
slopes of Ben More in the Isle of Lewis. He was about two 
hundred yards away, standing on a stone by the side of a pool, 
completely absorbed in his morning bath. By crouching under 
a friendly boulder I could follow his every movement through a 
glass. When first observed, he was rapidly darting his head 
under the surface of the water and throwing great showers of 
spray over his back and wings. This done, he shook himself 
vigorously, flapped his wings several times, struck the surface 
of the water with them violently, then rose in the air with a 
shrill cry and flew leisurely towards the top of the Ben, round 
which he floated in great circles, ascending higher and higher 
each time, till almost out of sight. In a quarter of an hour he 
came sailing down to his pool again and re-commenced his 
bath. This was repeated three times, then he left for the day. 
Several hours afterwards I could just see him a mere speck in 
the azure sky, slowly circling round the favoured mountain. 
The White-tailed Eagle is much more abundant than its 
royal relative. Its headquarters are in the island of Skye, 
where it may, as a rule, be found wherever the scenery is 
peculiarly wild and savage. It breeds regularly too, in Canna, 
Eigg, and North Uist, and on several other rocky islets of the 
West. Not unfrequently it may also be seen with half ex- 
panded drooping wings sitting motionless on the highest ledges 
of the tremendous cliffs of Cape Wrath and the Mull of Oe in 
Islay, though the eyries there seem now to be completely 
deserted. 
It was in one of its favourite haunts in the north-east of 
Skye that I had an opportunity of seeing the bird close at hand. 
Its eyrie was built on a triangular ledge on the face of a nearly 
perpendicular mass of basalt, several hundred feet above the 
sea, which thundered along the base of the cliff. The ascent 
was difficult and dangerous, but after many trials, was at length 
achieved. The female sat on the nest till I was within a few 
