SKETCHES OF SPORT IN HUNGARY. 397 



As soon as I heard the heavy beats of the eagle's wings and 

 caught sight of it in the high grass I fired, killing the bird 

 dead, and on hurrying up I found a splendid old Imperial 

 Eagle. 



The Ravens were still flying round the confines of the 

 place, so I sent some shot after them, hut missed, the distance 

 being too great ; and as it was now time to depart, I fired a 

 ball at a vulture which was circling high over my head. It 

 seemed as if the bullet had grazed either its wing or its body, 

 for the bird turned in the air and fell so far that both I and 

 my jager thought it was already ours ; but it recovered, and 

 flapping up again flew away in a straight line over the hills. 



We now had to hasten home, for a fox hunt had been 

 arranged for the same day ; so a sapling was quickly procured 

 to be used as a carrying-pole, and hanging my spoil upon it 

 we marched down the valley, my jager shouldering one end 

 and I the other. 



I have often carried Griffon and other vultures, and even 

 on one occasion a Lammergeyer, besides all the different 

 species of European eagles, but none of them ever seemed to 

 be so heavy as this vulture, and I was much delighted with 

 my booty. 



On that day my brother-in-law and the Grand Duke had 

 but little luck, and unfortunately returned empty-handed. 



