42 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 
“esikel,” the bird having dropped within a few yards 
of it. 
It was a most unpleasant time that I spent alone under the 
nest waiting for Hodek, and, short as it was, seemed to me like 
long hours. My hands trembled with excitement as I held my 
gun, and, harassed by the most uncomfortable thoughts, I 
kept asking myself why I had not killed the eagle outright, 
and whether the fall on the water had not been an illusion. 
Fortunately Hodek soon put an end to these distressing 
moments by hurrying to me holding up the eagle. It was a 
very old powerful bird, with the pale plumage and light 
yellow beak and feet indicative of great age ; but, to our 
astonishment, it was not the faithful mother but the father 
which I had bagged. 
Induced by this cireumstance to persevere, we determined 
to wait two hours longer for the female, and, hiding the dead 
Sea-Eagle in the shade of a tree, we again crept into our 
ambush. 
Our hopes and expectations had risen, and the time passed 
still more quickly and pleasantly, relieved as I was of my 
most feverish excitement and of my distressing doubts about 
the success of the matter. 
The cheerful bustle of the bird-world again began around 
us, and I had the pleasure of thoroughly studying the Moor- 
hens as they crept slowly out of their places of concealment 
and swam about, a few yards from me, diving and playfully 
pursuing one another, 
We several times heard the shrill ery of the Sea-Hagle, 
but all remained quiet at the nest ; so as it was already past 
noon, and Hodek thought that we ought to pay a visit to the 
second Sea-Hagle’s nest, we whistled sharply, and in a few 
minutes both our “ csikeln ’? came up. 
Having laid the slain eagle in my craft, we pushed off 
from the land and penetrated into the thick reeds, circum- 
