WITH BEAK AND CLAW 41 



he found firm foothold in the fork below, in the 

 crotch wherein the nest was built. 



Easier in mind, now that he could brace himself 

 solidly, Shan found time to glance at the eggs. 

 He drew an inward breath of delight. 



There were two of them. Both were of a pale 

 peach-blossom ground color, but one was marbled 

 with purple, while the other was so heavily 

 splotched with a dark brown as to be almost choco- 

 late in hue. As a matter of fact, Fish-Hawks' 

 eggs cover a wide range of color, being spotted, 

 blotched or marbled with every shade of purple, 

 and brown, passing from lilac and delicate pink to 

 violet, chestnut or brown-black. 



The sun beat down hotter and hotter on Shan's 

 head, but he could not move. At the slightest evi- 

 dence of relaxed watchfulness, one of the Fish- 

 Hawks would circle closer. 



Once Shan risked the chance of picking up one 

 of the eggs to look at it closer. 



The hen-bird sped from the air for vengeance. 



Out shot the talons of the bird, up lunged the 

 arm with the gleaming knife. 



Both blows missed. 



Shan laid down the egg. 



The battle developed into a contest of endur- 



