NESTLINGS OF FOREST AND MARSH 
variably followed the same route with the 
same precautions. Circling over and past 
the tree-top several times, she would alight 
on a tree fifteen feet to the west, and look 
in every direction ; then flying to one about 
the same distance to the east, she looked 
again. In order to remain hidden I was 
obliged to swing myself around the trunk 
of a tree as she moved in search of me. 
Having assured herself that all was well, 
she flew to the topmost limb of the nest- 
tree, and hopped down the branches to the 
one containing the nest ; then, walking with 
a comical deliberation along it, she slipped 
onto the eggs so deftly that, watch as I 
might, I never saw her doit. Once there, 
she seemed to sit motionless until the next 
resting-time, and only her yellow-rimmed 
eye could be seen winking as she peered 
over the edge at us. Her mate came often, 
bringing her frogs, fish, and even duck 
eggs. The first she swallowed whole, the 
fish she seemed to tear, and the egg was 
placed in the nest, where she ate it from 
80 
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4 
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. 
