THIRD DAT. 43 



navigated the wood behind us, crossed an open sheet of water, 

 and soon reached a large patch of trees. 



Ferencz whispered to me that this was the abode of the 

 second pair of eagles, and with my gun ready I approached 

 the edge of the wood. The tree on which the nest was built 

 did not stand quite on the margin of the clump, but a few yards 

 within it, where there was a group of huge black poplars 

 still higher than the one at the previously described nesting- 

 place. To our horror we noticed that everything was under 

 water; so I went in the " csikel " right under the nest, which 

 was much smaller than the first, and was placed in the upper part 

 of a leafy black poplar, being pretty well screened by branches. 



The eagle was not at home, and as we were discussing the 

 possibility of concealing ourselves under the very unfavour- 

 able circumstances, the pair of birds, already disturbed by our 

 presence, were sailing about over the tree-trops, screaming 

 loudlv. For a moment all seemed to be lost, for thev mounted 



V * 



in ever-widening circles up to the highest regions, closely 

 following all our movements. All at once we remarked a large 

 old oak lying prone, with only some parts of it projecting above 

 the surface of the water. To this tree we got the " csikel '' 

 as near as we could, and, with my gun on my back, I crept 

 along on all fours to its driest part. It was not a very com- 

 fortable seat, and it required some exertion to maintain my 

 position on the sloping surface. Moreover ants and insects 

 of all kinds were using the place as a refuge from the rising 

 waters, and showed very plainly how unwelcome my visit 

 was to them. 



Hodek had gone off some distance with the crafts, and 

 when the eagles noticed this they sank towards the nest ; but 

 my position was unfortunately too evident, for the shy birds 

 again rose high in the air, sounding their cries of alarm. I now 

 quickly called for the " csikeln," and getting into one of them 

 looked about for another place ; and a hundred yards from the 



