THIRD DAY. 45 



like shadows over the tree-tops and again disappear into the 

 depths of the foliage. 



At length I heard the heavy thud of the feet and the rush 

 of the flapping wings, such as one always hears when an 

 eagle perches hard by. The sound did not come from the 

 nest, but from quite the opposite direction, and, looking 

 cautiously out, I saw behind me a huge Sea-Eagle on the top 

 of a dead tree at the other side of the water. 



I quickly grasped my rifle, but before I could aim the 

 eagle stooped several times, lowered its head, and, slowly 

 extending its wings, flew off the branch. 



It was coming in a direct line to our hiding-place, but just 

 before reaching the wood it rose a little and hovered like a 

 hawk over the nest, turning its head from side to side, and 

 this it doubtless did in order to first thoroughly examine the 

 nest and its surroundings and to see whether all was in its old 

 condition. All of a sudden it contracted its wings and flew 

 straight to the top of a dead tree close to the nest and about 

 a hundred paces from my position. 



There sat the eagle facing us, bolt upright, and recon- 

 noitring in all directions. I quietly raised the rifle, fired, and 

 the ball passing fair through its breast, knocked the bird off 

 the tree, the dull sound of its fall on the water following 

 the echoes of the shot. 



Hardly had I begun to wade to the dead bird, carrying my 

 empty rifle, when the female came flying low over my head. 

 How easily I could also have bagged this second eagle had 

 the gun been in my hand ! 



For to-day all was over at this nest, as the bird had seen us 

 lift up its slain mate, and was now fully alive to the wiles of 

 man, and a few minutes afterwards we saw it circling round 

 at a great height, uttering its cries of alarm. I therefore 

 immediately left the place to pay a parting visit to the first 

 nest. There my jager, who had been waiting all the time in 



