74 



STORIES OF BIRD LIFE 



at the right moment. He had brought food and water 

 and meant to stay until one of the yellow eyed birds with 

 big claws should lie dead at his feet. 



A cold drizzling rain set in, but the hunter was plucky. 

 He pulled down more moss and drew it as a covering over 



his legs and body, and 

 waited. Day dawned, 

 and the dull yellow spot 

 which indicated through 

 the clouds the presence 

 of the sun crept slowly 

 upward through the sky. 

 Cold and dreary and 

 damp was the lonely 

 forest, but the man with 

 a purpose staid on. It 

 was twelve o 'clock before the rain ceased. Soon afterward 

 with a spring the eagle left the nest, and dodging quickly 

 behind it sped away. Firing harmlessly into the air the 

 discouraged farmer shouldered his empty gun and de- 

 parted, nor tried again that year to kill the eagles at their 

 nest. 



Desiring to examine the nest more closely than could be 

 done with an opera glass, I determined to climb the tree. 

 This I accomplished on January twentieth in the following 

 manner: Taking a narrow board three feet long, I nailed 



