446 MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 



Adony, which is only two hours and a half distant from Pest, 

 and was also formerly noted for its large heronries ; while not 

 much earlier there were nests of this eagle in the " aueri " near 

 Vienna. It is constant persecution and especially the cut- 

 ting down of its favourite nesting-trees that have driven it 

 so far away ; and I believe that, given a fair amount of quiet 

 and a cessation of all pursuit, a few eagles might easily be 

 induced to nest again, even in the immediate vicinity of our 

 capital. 



According to the information that I have hitherto re- 

 ceived, the Sea-Eagles' nests nearest to Vienna at the present 

 time are situated south of Mohacs, on an island formed by 

 the broad arm of the Danube known as the Bega Canal. 

 There I found three inhabited nests of this bird ; and even they 

 are doomed to destruction, as the woods of that island have 

 recently been put under scientific management. On seeing 

 these nests I was astonished at finding the dwellings of three 

 pairs of Sea-Eagles on an island traversed by roads, easily 

 approachable on every side, and protected by its greater 

 elevation from all inundations. I was also told by the keepers 

 that several years ago there existed quite a large colony of 

 these birds on this island of Bega and the surrounding 

 auen, but that every year they had retreated before the 

 increasing wood-cutting and the herds of cattle consequent 

 thereupon. 



In the woods of the auen, some hours' walk south of 

 Apatin, there still exist breeding-places of the Sea-Eagle, 

 which exceed the wildest expectations of the ornithologist. 

 Within a few days some of my friends and I had opportunities 

 of observing nineteen inhabited nests of this species. How 

 many more there were which we did not find might be in- 

 ferred from the numbers of these eagles which were ranging 

 about in search of food for their young. 



In Southern Hungary (by which I mean the district north 



