ELEVENTH DAY. 181 



search for small birds in the vineyards, and had brought 

 with him a fine Lesser Grey Shrike and three other little 

 birds, shot for scientific purposes. We had seen none of 

 our companions since yesterday morning, and found that 

 Bombelles had in the interim killed at the nest the Sea-Eagle 

 which I had missed some days ago, but had unfortunately 

 failed to shoot its mate. He had seen how these birds 

 carried large carp to their young, and how they left the fish 

 lying for them on a thick branch when they detected the 

 presence of danger. The eagle which Bombelles had killed 

 dropped one of these big fish, which the man who was 

 with him took home to eat. He had also shot a Black Kite 

 from a nest close by ; and on his way back the keepers 

 took him to a nest which they had always pointed out as 

 the abode of a Kite, and to which I was to have gone a 

 couple of days ago, but had declined to do so, as I had 

 so often killed that very common bird and wanted to 

 economize my time for the pursuit of Cinereous Vultures. 

 Bombelles had shot the so-called Kite, which turned out 

 to be a very beautiful Spotted Eagle. This added a new 

 bird to our collection, as it was the first specimen of this 

 very dark-coloured eagle which we had obtained. Brehm 

 had also distinguished himself yesterday; for he had gone 

 to the vulture's nest to which I had already paid a fruitless 

 visit, and had killed the very large female with a lucky 

 rifle-shot. It had, however, remained lying in the nest, and 

 was only got out the following morning, and, curiously 

 enough, brought by the keepers to our cart ; so that we 

 had the pleasure of handing it over to Brehm. He had 

 also severely wounded the male of this nest with shot ; 

 but it got away, and though at the time all search for it 

 was unsuccessful, it afterwards reached Vienna in a rather 

 high condition. Homeyer had employed the day in making 

 notes, and had returned empty-handed. 



