6 SPORT IN NORTH AMERICA. 



I never saw finer specimens. They measured eight 

 feet and a quarter from wing to wing. 



The first time I ever saw one of these Lammer- 

 geyers of the United States close to, was on the 

 banks of a small lake, at the foot of the Adirondack 

 mountains, in the State of New York. Let the 

 reader picture to himself an immense amphitheatre 

 of water, surrounded by steep, perpendicular rocks, 

 so as to look like a cask two-thirds filled with 

 water. On one of the loclzs, an ancient oak was 

 growing, looking, by the size of its bole, as if it 

 had been there for centuries. Its roots filled 

 ever}^ interstice. This oak reared itself about 

 forty feet above the underwood, on the brink of 

 the precipice. 



One morning I happened to be there, accompanied 

 by a zealous and experienced English sportsman, 

 named Whitehead, who (probably for the purpose 

 of giving the lie to his name) covered his bald head 

 with a wig as black as ebony. One of our fellow 

 sportsmen (the celebrated Herbert, better known 

 as Frank Forester, who happened not to be with 

 us at the time) had often joked Whitehead about 

 this part of his costume, and I had allowed my- 

 self a few pleasantries upon the same subject, with- 

 out ever susj)ecting the important service which it 

 was to render him. 



AVe had gone over the ground for about five hours 

 after gelinottes and quails, and our bag was about 



