T WELFTH DA Y. 197 



such large numbers of raptorial birds that one might really 

 call it a colony of them, for nest after nest decorated the tree- 

 tops. First we found a pair of Imperial Eagles still busy 

 building, and a little way further on was the basket-like nest 

 of an Eagle-Owl on the topmost branches of a small oak. 

 The rather small but beautifully plumaged male was sitting 

 on the tree somewhat below the nest; and as my careful 

 attempt to stalk it was quite unsuccessful, we tried to get a 

 shot at the female by hammering at the stem of the tree, but 

 nothing moved; and we were just going away when all at 

 once the splendid large owl slipped quietly out of the nest 

 and flew off through the trees, where I caught sight of it too 

 late, and made the mistake of firing an uncertain shot at too 

 great a range. Some pellets must, however, have hit it, for 

 there were feathers floating about, and the bird did not return 

 to its nest. 



A few paces further on the real colony began, and here 

 there was a nest on almost every tree, but of course not all 

 occupied, for many were hanging down, having been half 

 destroyed by the herdsmen, and others either had no tenants 

 this year, or had more probably been already robbed of their 

 eggs, while at some the birds were still building. 



Scared by the shots, the inhabitants of the wood were flying 

 about over the tops of the trees Imperial, Spotted, Pygmy, 

 and Short-toed Eagles, Common and Black Kites, Goshawks, 

 and Kestrels wheeling about in wild disorder, like the inmates 

 of a heronry or of a colony of cormorants. 



Concealing myself under a tree I sat down to allow them 

 to get a little quieter, and to study the distribution of the 

 nests. Imperial and Spotted Eagles were still busily building, 

 and the nest of a Short-toed Eagle had unfortunately been 

 destroyed by the herdsmen. Of the two pairs of Pygmy 

 Eagles, one was still employed in the construction of its nest, 

 and the other occupied in the duties of breeding. The Gos- 



