TWELFTH DAY. 201 
passing the outermost houses of Kovyil, soon reached the 
northern fringe of the great Saéer forest. Here, at Hodek’s 
desire, I left the cart, while Leopold drove on towards the 
interior of the woods to visit an Imperial Hagle’s nest. 
Walking through a little hollow I struck into a path that 
ina few minutes brought me into these woods, which much 
resemble those of Kovil in their main characteristics, but 
have not such a heavy undergrowth or such impenetrable 
copses. 
The first nest which I encountered was a Pygmy Eagle’s; 
but unluckily the handsome light-coloured bird was sitting 
on a branch near its dwelling and flew off as we approached, 
and though hit by the shot which I fired, it skimmed 
away close to the ground and we failed to find it. The rain 
was falling in torrents and pattering noisily on the leaves as 
I penetrated deeper into the wood, and the sodden state of 
the deep loamy soil much increased the difficulties of walking 
during this wet and fatiguing excursion. 
There are, in the depths of this Sager forest, some most 
lovely picturesque spots, where low oak woods adorned with 
a few tall old trees, twisted into the strangest forms, alternate 
with flowery little glades, through which run the rills which 
feed the marshes. Invigorated by these warm summery rains 
all was fresh and blooming in the most luxuriant way, and 
the many-noted songs of the Nightingales and other warblers 
enlivened the wood, while the rain gradually ceased, the 
clouds broke up, and it looked as if we were going to have a 
fine evening. 
My way led me past a Pygmy Eagle’s nest still in course 
ot construction, then followed a Goshawk’s, where this usually 
shy bird could only be frightened out of its dwelling by re- 
peated blows on the trunk of the tree, but, flying off at last, 
fell to my shot. 
At the edge of a very charmingly situated glade stood the 
