SEVENTH DAY. 119 



went leisurely feeding along until he was close to the tree 

 with the nest. The wind was blowing down the valley, and 

 when he got in a direct line with me he raised his head, 

 looked in my direction, and plunged down the slope in a few 

 bounds. Soon afterwards my constancy in the pursuit of the 

 Cinereous Vultures was put to a severe test, for a large Sea- 

 Eagle flew past low down among the branches of the trees, 

 between the nesting-tree and my ambush, and only about 

 thirty yards otF. A few moments later it was followed by 

 another Sea-Eagle, and in some ten minutes more a splendid 

 " Stein " Eagle passed close by me in the same direction. 

 How easily I could have killed two, perhaps even three, of 

 these grand birds, for the shot-gun was lying cocked at my 

 side; but to-day I was determined to resist all temptations 

 and to bring home a Cinereous Vulture. 



I had not to wait much longer, for suddenly there was a 

 loud rushing sound near me, such as I had never heard at 

 any eagle's nest, and at first I did not know w T hat to make of 

 it ; but it was immediately followed by the appearance of 

 both the vultures on a tree near the nest, through the 

 branches of which they, with difficulty, worked themselves 

 with their broad wings. 



The disgusting creatures held their necks at full stretch, 

 their flesh-coloured legs hung loosely down, and they rapidly 

 flapped their arched contracted wings, seeking a support to 

 perch on. The female settled herself at once on the edge of 

 the nest, the male on an adjacent tree. 



The dark forest, the grand sweeps of the mountain valleys, 

 and my first meeting with the mighty owners of this gigantic 

 structure, all contributed to put me into such an uncontrollable 

 state of excitement, that before I aimed I knew that it was 

 all over as regarded this nest. The rifle shook like a reed in 

 my hands, and in vain I tried to keep the sight steady on the 

 breast of the vulture, which was still standing upright on the 



