ON ORNITHOLOGY. 451 



branch had disappeared, and as it could not be discovered on 

 the ground, the female must have returned, picked it up, and 

 carried it to the young. 



We found, as already mentioned, only two Sea-Eagles' 

 nests in the Fruska-Gora; but, on the other hand, we saw 

 large numbers of this species flying about in company with 

 the Cinereous Vultures and the " Stein " and Imperial Eagles. 

 We were also fortunate enough to see two interesting proofs 

 of the courage displayed by this bird towards man. One of 

 my friends wounded a female Sea-Eagle at a dead goat. It 

 flew down the valley hard-hit, and a keeper was sent after it, 

 who soon found the bird and gave it a finishing shot. While 

 he was still busy with the slain creature, there came a great 

 rush over his head, and he saw a large Sea-Eagle, which had 

 probably noticed its dead comrade, and, furious at the sight, 

 was levelling fierce assaults at the hated intruder. The eagle 

 dashed down so close to him that the otherwise perfectly 

 fearless man had to seek shelter under a thick tree. The 

 second instance of a similar attack happened at a nest which I 

 myself visited. I had been lucky enough to kill the female, 

 had soon afterwards missed the male, and had then sent a 

 climber to take out the young ones ; but hardly had the man 

 clambered up to the nest when the eagle appeared in a great 

 state of excitement, and swooped down close above his head. 



Within a few days nine young Sea-Eagles were taken out 

 of the nests, and we reared them under very unfavourable 

 circumstances, but nevertheless brought them all home alive ; 

 this gave me an opportunity of learning how tough the 

 nestlings of the Sea-Eagles are, and what strong constitutions 

 they have. A space in the open air enclosed by boards and 

 boxes, some hay for a soft bed, a diet consisting of the rem- 

 nants of the bodies of the skinned birds, and often of whole 

 animals with their skin and hair, were all the comforts that I 

 could offer my nine eaglets ; but they all throve splendidly, 

 grew apace, and some even passed from down to feathers 



