138 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 



upon a lucky plan, on the success of which I pride myself 

 to this day ; for I slung my rifle on my back, loaded my gun 

 with heavy shot, and quitting the place noisily to attract the 

 attention of the vultures, I went down towards the valley. 



My stratagem succeeded from the very first, for the birds 

 followed all my movements from above, and when they saw 

 me near the brook set up .a satisfied croaking, made a few 

 sweeps round the hill-top, and disappeared in different direc- 

 tions, probably in order to examine the neighbourhood. 



This moment I utilized in getting back again along the 

 little glade to the tree, and, lying down under it, covered my- 

 self with branches as well as I could and remained quietly on 

 my back with my gun ready pointed. A distressing quarter 

 of an hour now went by, and I was already beginning to 

 doubt whether, tired as I was and tormented by the bites of 

 ants and mosquitoes, I could hold out any longer in this 

 trying position, when I heard the croaking of the vultures, 

 and the pair flew rapidly over my head, followed by a bold 

 " Stein " Eagle. 



I now had an opportunity of enjoying the interesting spec- 

 tacle of this noble eagle chasing one of these great heavy 

 birds through the air and swooping down under it close to the 

 nest. The vulture, alarmed for the safety of its eggs, and also 

 very frightened at the prospect of an aerial encounter with 

 the far smaller but more active eagle, now shot straight down 

 the slope, took a circuit round the nest, and, stretching out its 

 long neck, looked directly at the place where I had formerly 

 sat, but did not pay the slightest attention to the open spot 

 where I had been recently standing. It then made a second 

 sweep round, and as it plunged close over my head to get 

 into the nest I gave it both barrels. I saw some feathers fall, 

 and noticed a convulsive twitch of the wings and a sinking of 

 the bare head ; but I again feared that the shot had rebounded 

 from the strong feathers without taking effect, for it flew 



