GOLDEN EAGLE. 
167 
destroyed,* which, while it shews that the bird 
is not of that extreme rarity which is some- 
times supposed, it, at the same time, tells us that 
if the war of extermination be continued, we shall 
ere long look in vain for this appropriate orna- 
ment of our northern landscape. In Ireland it is 
generally distributed where the situations are 
favourable, but at the same time is much more 
uncommon than the Sea Eagle. The Horn Head, 
the mountain of Ilosheen, near Dunfanaghy, 
Achill Island, and Crowpatric, are mentioned 
by Mr Thompson as now or formerly containing 
eyries on their precipices ; from Rosheen they 
have been now driven off, on account of the 
destruction done to the flocks. The nest, placed 
on a ledge perfectly 1 inaccessible, was set on fire 
by burning a lighted brand, and was consumed 
with its tenants ; the parents have since forsaken 
a station where they had been attacked in a 
manner so unusual. 
The eyry of the Golden Eagle is placed on 
the face of some stupendous cliff situated inland ; 
the nest is built on a projecting shelve, or on 
some stumped tree that grows from the rock, 
generally in a situation perfectly inaccessible 
without some artificial means, and often out of 
the reach of shot either from below or from the 
* This includes, however, both the Sea and Golden 
Eagles ; nevertheless the number of old birds is great. 
