318 The Eagle Owl 
dropped over the edge and after a few anxious moments, found 
myself safe and sound in the cave! Nor was I unrewarded for 
the risk I had run, for at the far end of the cavern was the Eagle 
Owl’s nest exactly as I had seen it in the same spot fifteen years 
before with the difference that, this time in place of being empty, 
it contained two eggs! My happiness was complete! But I then 
remembered with horror that | had no means of carrying my prize 
in safety during the return climb, for I was in my shirt and knee- 
breeches only! I tried to put one big egg in my mouth and only 
succeeded in putting a tooth into it! Eventually with the precious 
eggs slung in my socks held in my teeth, I commenced the ascent. 
This, as usual when climbing on good sound rock, proved much 
easier than the descent and I was soon in a place of safety and 
thankful to find that the injured egg was only damaged on one side 
and would make a fair show in my egg cabinet. 
This time I had not attempted to take my camera with 
me and wisely so, for it would have greatly impeded my climb 
and as events proved could not have been used since it was the one 
with the fixed focus of 7 ft. 
The pen and ink sketch at the end of the chapter is from 
a water-colour drawing I made from this nest many years ago 
when it was occupied by a pair of Bonelli’s Eagle. Small as 
is the cliff, it will be seen from the sketch what an extensive 
view both Eagles and Eagle Owls had over the surrounding 
country. That at the beginning of the chapter is from another 
water-colour sketch and shows the climber at the moment of 
reaching the level of the nest. 
I however, revisited the same spot on several subsequent years 
and found the nest always occupied by the Eagle Owls, and having 
now a camera which I could use with effect at short distances, | 
was able to get photographs of the nest and eggs with the remains 
of a rabbit conveniently disposed in the larder hard by. 
