THIRD DAY. 41 



fashion over the steaming surface of the water ! These re- 

 flections were not pleasant ; but still an eagle was worth all 

 that, and any one who really wants to shoot nohle game must 

 shun neither troubles nor discomforts. 



The hoarse cry of the young Sea-Eagle now indicated that 

 it was about the hour at which the pampered young gentle- 

 man was accustomed to be fed, and he was giving us accurate 

 notice of the fact. 



Hodek, who had just looked round, whispered to me, " He 

 is coming ! " I heard a whiz above me, and a great shadow 

 swept over the ground; but by the time I had got my gun up 

 it was already too late, and I merely saw the eagle glide into 

 the nest with folded wings. I had not credited the mighty 

 bird with such great activity and quickness, and had fancied 

 the matter easier than it really was. 



After a few moments we heard the cracking of bones and 

 the cries of the young bird ; but whether the bones were those 

 of a fish or of some other creature we unfortunately could 

 not say, owing to the surprising speed at which the eagle had 

 come. 



I now slipped quietly out of my ambush ready to fire, and 

 stationed myself at a spot where I could get a comparatively 

 open shot, while Hodek crept warily to the other side of the 

 nesting-tree and tapped its stem with his hunting-knife. 



He had hardly touched the bark when I heard the bustle 

 of the eagle as it flew out ; but a leafy branch prevented my 

 observing the bird at the first moment of its flight, and I did 

 not see it until it was a few yards from the nest. It was 

 struck by my first shot and fell halfway to the ground, and at 

 the second drooped its head and legs and sailed like a para- 

 chute over the water behind us, to a flooded patch of wood. 



Shortly after it had vanished from our sight among the 

 branches we heard something heavy fall into the water, and 

 Hodek hastening up found the eagle already in Ferencz's 



