THIRD DAY. 45 
like shadows over the tree-tops and again disappear into the 
depths of the foliage. 
At length I heard the heavy thud of the feet and the rush 
of the flapping wings, such as one always hears when an 
eagle perches hard by. The sound did not come from the 
nest, but from quite the opposite direction, and, looking 
cautiously out, I saw behind me a huge Sea-Eagle on the top 
of a dead tree at the other side of the water. 
I quickly grasped my rifle, but before I could aim the 
eagle stooped several times, lowered its head, and, slowly 
extending its wings, flew off the branch. 
It was coming in a direct line to our hiding-place, but just 
before reaching the wood it rose a-little and hovered like a 
hawk over the nest, turning its head from side to side, and 
this it doubtless did in order to first thoroughly examine the 
nest and its surroundings and to see whether all was in its old 
condition. All of a sudden it contracted its wings and flew 
straight to the top of a dead tree close to the nest and about 
a hundred paces from my position. 
There sat the eagle facing us, bolt upright, and recon- 
noitring in all directions. I quietly raised the rifle, fired, and 
the ball passing fair through its breast, knocked the bird off 
the tree, the dull sound of its fall on the water following 
the echoes of the shot. 
Hardly had I begun to wade to the dead bird, carrying my 
empty rifle, when the female came flying low over my head. 
How easily I could also have bagged this second eagle had 
the gun been in my hand! 
For to-day all was over at this nest, as the bird had seen us 
lift up its slain mate, and was now fully alive to the wiles of 
man, and a few minutes afterwards we saw it circling round 
at a great height, uttering its cries of alarm. I therefore 
immediately left the place to pay a parting visit to, the first 
nest. There my jiiger, who had been waiting all the time in 
