96 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 



saying that the bird could not be there. But some sort of 

 happy inspiration led me to ask him to make yet another 

 attempt by throwing up bits of stick; and I was right, for the 

 boughs at the edge of the nest suddenly moved, and the 

 eagle rose with a great bustle, extended its wings, and 

 dashed out. 



My first shot brought it dead to the ground, the branches 

 crashing under the weight of its heavy body, and the dull 

 thud of its fall echoing loudly. I hurried up to it, and found 

 to my great joy an enormous female Sea-Eagle lying at my 

 feet one of the largest killed during the whole trip, and un- 

 doubtedly the biggest I had ever shot. 



As no anxious cries announced that the male w r as near, I 

 had good hopes of its return from some marauding expedi- 

 tion; so I crouched down behind the trunk of a fallen tree 

 near the nest, a very damp and uncomfortable seat, for the 

 sedge was several feet high and dripping wet. 



The woods round about me were not grand or wildly 

 romantic like those of Apatin, but pretty and pleasant like 

 the " auen " of the Prater or those close to Vienna. They 

 were also well stocked with Warblers, Starlings, Orioles, 

 Turtle-Doves, and other small birds. Songs of all sorts 

 sounded in our ears ; Woodpeckers tapped diligently at the 

 trees, Black Kites circled overhead, little birds darted about 

 among the lower branches, tree-frogs lustily croaked their 

 monotonous ditties, and as the rain gradually ceased the 

 insects sallied out of their hiding-places and tormented us 

 with their stings. 



After about half an hour of patient waiting I suddenly 

 heard a rushing sound near me, and saw a particularly small 

 but beautiful Sea-Eagle flying past under the nest only a few 

 yards above the ground; but it went by so quickly, that near 

 as I was I could not get a sure shot. 



Behind me I quite distinctly heard its- feet strike a branch 



