238 American Birds 



angle lens we could get a view of the nest and surrounding 

 limbs, and at the same time have a depth of focus that 

 showed the outline of the valley lying miles below. By 

 the use of the regular lens the nest was brought nearer 

 the camera, and still the sweep of the rocky side of the 

 canon was retained. The single rear lens gave a differ- 

 ent picture, narrowed down to the outer end of the large 

 limb containing the nest. Our telephoto lens had the 

 power of bringing the nest as close as we cared to photo- 

 graph it, covering the full size of a 5 x 7 plate and giving 

 a clear definition of the lining of the nest. 



One cannot help feeling the dangers of climbing about 

 the limbs of a tall tree, but it always doubles his caution 

 when he has to maneuver in the topmost boughs, carrying 

 a camera that has cost him over two hundred dollars. One 

 day we narrowly escaped an expensive accident. We were 

 hoisting our cameras and half way up one of the lines 

 broke. Fortunately I was below, ready for such a mis- 

 chance, and as the camera shot downward I spread my 

 hands in the nick of time to stop the fall. It knocked me 

 backward, and the camera would have bounded over the 

 edge of the bank and been smashed on the rocks fourteen 

 feet below had my fingers not closed on the piece of rope 

 as it slipped through my hand. 



The golden eagles are mated for life. During the 

 month of February the aerie was recarpeted with small 

 twigs and dry leaves, for the eagles of the summer before 

 had worn it down to a rough platform of sticks. A hol- 

 low of this soft material was made in the middle for the 

 eggs, and a branch of green laurel was added. Later on 

 when I removed this branch of evergreen it was promptly 



