ground ; a nest of the White-tailed had been already discovered, and this they were anxious (bat I should
proceed to on the first opportunity. Being several miles from the lodge, it was quite possible that it might
be robbed by the fishermen from some of the adjacent islands, who occasionally visited that part of the coast
in boats in search o( seaweed, which they gathered for manure to put on their small pieces of collivated
ground. This weed and the roofs of their bouses, which they arc forced to remove once • year when Hie thatch
is completely rotted by smoke and soot, form the only dres-ing that their land ever gets.
" Sunday, 20th. Luckily, although cold, the morning was fine, the minister having arrived the night In-fore
and put up at the ludgc. on purpose to preach in the district to the fishermen and crofters who lived in the
small villages on the coast. A sail was apread over three oars on the him IF hillside opposite the lodge, and
beneath this shelter, which much resembled the wigwam of an Indian chief, the minister held forth, first in
English and then in Gaelic, to a congregation of nearly one hundred persons, who mostly arrived in boats, only
a few crossing the hills on foot. For at least a couple of hours they sat on the damp grass and heather, exposed
to the biting cold cast wind and a drifting rain that set in some time before the s e n in' was concluded, evidently
listening with the greatest attention to the exhortalions of the preacher. The minister himselr afterwards told
me Hint wet or fine, hail, snow, or sunshine, the people would be there if possible; and although several were at
limes laid up by the exposure, and some not unfreqiietitly died from the effects of the cold, they would never
miss a chance when he came into the district two or three limes a year. The only absentees, he staled, were a
few of the poor old bodies, who were kept away by the absolute want, of clothes to appear in.
" 30th. We did not make a particularly early start for the Eagle's nest, as the minister was returning home
today, and 1 stopped to lake leave of him. Before our departure he gave a short farewell service inside the
lodge to the inmates and some of the men. This unfortunately received an unexpected and somewhat protracted
interrupt ion. It had, I suppose, been imagined that the minister would confine the service to reading portions
of the scripture and prayers ; to conclude, however, he gave out a hymn, and as no preparations had been madu
for moving the dogs of the establishment, ¡t caused a slight delay w hile ' Scamp,' a roguish terrier basking in
front of the fire, was hustled from the room, and two stout serving lassies were despatched to the kitchen to
help ' Athol,' a magnificent retriever, to sustain himself under the trials in atora for him.
" A l l went well during the first verse; with the exception of a stilled whimper from 'Scamp* there was
not the slightest interruption. This, however, was but the calm before the storm : after a short pause tho
second verse was commenced; then a sound like n smothered groan was heard, and next a prolonged and
melancholy bowl proclaimed the fact that ' A l h o l ' refused to he pacified. Large as a donkey and powerful as a
hull his voice was perfectly deafening, and a stoppige was made while a couple of men were told off to assist in
preserving order. Xo sooner was a beginning again attempted than it was obvious that further n i n force mculs
were necessary. ' Scamp' bad now broken loose, aud having taken to the stairs, he resolutely refused to be
cither caught or comforted. At last he was driven to some reinóte corner, where his miserable yells were
scarcely audible; then, with a congregalion sadly reduced in numbers, the singing was recommenced and
continued to the end."
I should not have mentioned this incident, only it tends to show how peculiarly devout and reverent is the
disposition of the people, and how deeply impressed they an' by the sanctity of all matters connected with
religion, nad such an interruption taken place during prayers ¡n most English households, I am afraid the
solemn nature of the proceedings would have been sadly interfered with ; hut, although the pauses were long
and somewhat trying, not the slightest sign* of a smile were visible on tho countenances of any of those
assembled.
" A t last we were off, our impedimenta (consisting (if ropes, traps, and provisions] furnishing loads for
alwut half a dozen keepers and gillies. It was past midday before we reached the neighbourhood of t h e nest;
the weather, although dull, having ljcen fine, a part of the journey had been performed by boat.
the Sea-Knglo is generally Id lie round there is not even the roughest track within miles of the snot, and the
travelling is a work of no Utile difficulty owing to the inaccessible nature of the country. The hills are steep
mid rocky, the valleys and low-lying Hats in many parts impassable during wet and stormy weather, being
intersected in every direction uilli mai'sliy pools and naving hogs,
The various changes undergone by this species in its progress towards maturity would require a series of
coloured drawings to illustrate them accurately ; and as 1 eontiue the plates and descriptions in these pages *
entirely to I hose birds I have myself obtained, I must defer for the present, till I have bad the opportunity of
proenring the necessary specimens, any attempt to enter into the full details of each succeeding stage of
plumage. As 1 have, however, frequently observed and taken notes on the immature birds I have watched en
the bills, 1 shall not be breaking through my rules by simply stating that the whole of the lirst plumage,
including the tail, is a uniform dark brown, striped and mottled with lighter shades. As the bird increases in
age the pile brown feathers appear on the head anil neck, and TI• • - tail gradually 1 me. a pure « hile.
I have no means of j u d g i n g with any certainty, but should imagine that the perfect adult dress is not
assumed till the bird has attained the age of five or s i s years. The old female from which the Plate is taken is
as tine a specimen as it would be possible to procure. All signs or immaturity have entirely disappeared, the
beak has turned a clear yelluw tint, and the feathers of the head and neck, having lost all traces of darker
markings, are become a uniform pale brown ; the tail also is perfectly white.
I n this species the tarsus (that part of the leg between the knee and the foot) is always hare of feathers.
This is the best distinguishing mark {to those who a r e not perfectly acquainted with the birds) between the
two British Eagles, the Golden being feathered to the foot t.
The eye during life showed little difference in colour from the surrounding feathers on the head,
except by its brightness. On close inspection the iris was a pale fawn tint, rendered still lighter
by being marked with lines like crystals radiating from the pupil, which added both depth and brilliancy
to its appearance. I bail a good opportunity of thoroughly examining this specimen when first recovered
from the loch into which it had fallen wounded, and was greatly struck by the sparkle of its wild and
flashing eyes.
A few words on the capture of this fine old bird may not he out of place. An extract from my note-book
for lbll will give all necessary particulars, together with a short account of the locality, as well as a few
remarks on the natives of the soil.
" April nth. After a three-days' journey by easy stages from Inverness we reached the lodge on Loch
1'isge, which had been kindly placed at our disposal by t h e tenant. The travelling on the last day was over an
exceedingly wild and desolate country; the road, which here and there skirted the sea-lochs, was rough and
narrow, hut, except in a few parts, far better than would have been expected from the scanty amount of traffic
that must pass over it. Two or three small villages were seen, as well as a few scattered shcaliugs, most of
the buildings being placed at no great distance from the shores of the salt-water lochs. The dwellings of the
natives an' miserable in ibe extreme; the walls are built up with stones and mud, and the roof composed of
straw, grass, and turf. Windows they have none, unless sometimes a small piece of glass is let in with mud.
Chimneys arc unknown : the peat-lire burns on the ground, or, it may be, on a small heap of stones, and the
smoke finds its way out at the door if open ; at other times it forces its way through the thatch or the cracks
in the wall.
" On our arrival the keepers informed us there were at the present time several Eagles frequenting the
• A II-K remarks in Ihe Inlrnlurtiuii explain niy rca-s>n- fur ailbi-nog hi ttiis Irailution.
T I mi-nlioncil this fact in mj- nuU's on Ik Sitka Ejglr, and I repeat il here, a* il it such n fn-iiuent uccuiTtntc fur tho twn ,pcde* tu be