BALD EAGLES' NEST 58 



Rapid, after making a short portage over the 

 rocks at its head where the first inrush of water 

 broke angrily over a rocky dip in elevation. We 

 had not long left Knee Rapid when a Black Bear 

 was sighted on the north shore, wading in the 

 water in search of fish, as is a common habit with 

 them in summer. The canoe was run ashore, 

 and as the animal ambled into the woods, for it 

 had seen or scented us, I tried a long shot at about 

 300 yards, but failed to bring it down. 



The greater part of the day was spent 

 travelling a zigzag course through Knee Lake, a 

 long, extensive sheet of water, and we camped 

 toward sundown well up to the north-east end, 

 where should lie the river outlet. 



Knee Lake, like the others, was very irregular 

 in shape, and contained many islands. The rough 

 hilly north shore was often less densely wooded, 

 and, here and there, ranged along the lake 

 for a considerable distance, were bare grass-hills 

 scantily scrub-grown. 



During the afternoon we came on a pair of 

 Bald Eagles nesting on a prominent point on the 

 west shore of a side-channel on Knee Lake. 

 The huge, twig-constructed nest was on the top 

 of a decayed spruce tree, and contained one well- 

 grown young bird. 



To-day was a lean one for securing specimens. 

 I note that it was remarkable that I saw no hawks 

 in this territory, and had not seen one since leaving 

 Lake lie a la Crosse — though up to that time 

 I had seen a fair number and had secured one or 

 two skins. It bears out that which I have always 

 experienced in Canada — that birds are remarkably 



