150 FIFTEEN DATS ON THE DANUBE. 



had ever had the opportunity of observing in the open the 

 flight of this bird, which unites the quiet, almost imper- 

 ceptible wing-motion of the largest diurnal birds of prey 

 with the easy swift gliding movements of the owls, while 

 there is in its whole appearance something grand and striking 

 which makes it undeniably an eagle among the owls. 



As we were hurrying back to the steamer through the 

 thickets we saw a whole flock of Jackdaws, which, scared by 

 the noise we were making, had come out of holes in the bank 

 of the Danube, where they were breeding in close proximity 

 to the predatory Eagle-Owls. I also found among the bushes 

 a snake of quite exceptional size ; indeed I have never seen 

 so large a reptile in a wild state. It quickly coiled itself 

 round a tree and tried to hide among the grass ; but though 

 Brehm had asked us to bring back reptiles from our excur- 

 sions, I would not allow this creature to be taken up and 

 brought on board, as it might have been venomous. 



Close to the bank of the river a Cuckoo fluttered up into 

 a fruit-tree, calling loudly, and I shot it for the sake of the 

 measurements. 



As soon as we were on board, the steamer again got 

 under weigh, and in another quarter of an hour we rounded 

 an island near the left side of the Danube where the stream 

 was fringed by a continuous belt of beautiful thick " auen." 

 We anchored near the middle of this island, which was not 

 very large, and being but thinly studded with enormous old 

 willows and a few silver poplars, and not having the slightest 

 trace of undergrowth, was the very type of a wooded pasture, 

 a peculiar style of country quite new to us. 



On an old willow stood a huge Sea-Eagle's nest not far 

 from the ground, and the keepers were almost sure that we 

 should shoot the eagle ; but when my brother-in-law and I 

 were getting near the nest we met numbers of the inhabitants 

 of the neighbouring village hurrying up in carts, which they 



