BIFDS'-NESTS. 163 



which collects together a mass of material 

 that would fill a half-bushel measure ; or by 

 the fish-hawk, which adds to and repairs its 

 nest year after year, till the whole would 

 make a cart-load. 



The rarest of all nests is that of the eagle, 

 because the eagle is the rarest of all birds. 

 Indeed, so seldom is the eagle seen, that its 

 presence always seems accidental. It ap- 

 pears as if merely pausing on the way, while 

 bound for some distant unknown region. 

 One September, while a youth, I saw the 

 ring-tailed eagle, an immense, dusky bird, 

 the sight of which filled me with awe. It 

 lingered about the hills for two days. Some 

 young cattle, a two-year-old colt, and half a 

 dozen sheep were at pasture on a high ridge 

 that led up to the mountain, and in plain 

 view of the house. On the second day, this 

 dusky monarch was seen flying about above 

 them. Presently he began to hover over 

 them, after the manner of a hawk watching 

 for mice. He then with extended legs let 

 himself slowly down upon them, actually 

 grappling the backs of the young cattle, and 

 frightening the creatures so that they rushed 

 about the field in great consternation ; and 

 finally, as he grew bolder and more frequent 



