34 WITH THE U. S. NATURALISTS 



on the boy, but Shan did not move. Puzzled by 

 this stillness, the Fish-Hawk seemed to wonder if 

 he had not been over-ready to anticipate danger. 

 He flew back to the nest, as though to assure his 

 mate that there was no immediate cause for alarm, 

 and after a final gyration, sailed off for the fishing 

 grounds. 



No sooner was he gone than Shan straightened 

 up and began to climb. He was now at the hard- 

 est part. The little green twigs did not break off, 

 but were almost as pliable as rubber, giving prac- 

 tically no foothold. However, the trunk of the 

 tree was small enough for the boy to put his arms 

 around and thus swarm it. 



Shan had overlooked one thing. That was the 

 marvellous power of sight possessed by the Fish- 

 Hawk. A bird which gains its living by diving at 

 a faint gleam of silver scales seen in the water 

 some hundred feet below, can watch its nest from 

 far. The Fish-Hawk was a long way off, but not 

 too distant to prevent him from observing the 

 movements of the boy in the tree. 



Shan climbed warily. 



The Fish-Hawk flew back swiftly. 



Convinced, now, that the queer animal in the 

 tree boded ill to his nest, the big bird wheeled 



