My First Eagle's Nest 333 
from the same crags where I had noted the pair during the 
preceding year. 
Recognizing that there must obviously be some reason for this 
which was worthy of investigation, I took an early Opportunity, 
unobserved, of leaving the hounds. For it is needless to explain 
that no British officer has any right to abandon the scientific 
pursuit of a fox in order to follow an Eagle! 
I however was rewarded for my pains by seeing the bird, after 
sailing around high above some rocky ravines, eventually lower 
its flight and disappear into a gorge, where I knew there was 
a small cliff. I did not venture to follow up my observations on 
that day for the all-sufficing reason that the ravine in question was 
a favourite point for foxes to make for. To be found anywhere 
in the district would bring down upon me the charge of “heading 
the fox”! Since my own Colonel at this time was Master of 
the Calpe Hunt, this was, to say the least, undesirable. 
Some days later I rode out with a brother subaltern, the 
present Sir Bartle Frere, and having picketed our horses, we 
made our way to the top of the suspect cliff. On reaching the 
edge, I cracked my hunting whip upon which a female Bonelli 
dashed out from a point almost exactly below where we. stood. 
At last I had succeeded in my long-protracted quest. It was 
quite a small place, a nearly vertical crag less than go ft. in height 
standing above a steeply sloping hill-side, which gave it the 
appearance of being much higher. But to examine it a rope 
was necessary and we returned to the Rock to arrange details. 
It was in truth an eventful day in my birdsnesting life when 
I set out, some days later, to attempt to get this nest. I had no 
experience of rope work on cliffs but like most people had read 
various accounts of its alleged perils. I accordingly made_pre- 
parations which, in view of many years subsequent experiences 
of really dangerous cliffs, now cause me some amusement. For 
