16 THE ORNITHOLOGISTS’ AND OOLOGISTS’ SEMI-ANNUAL. 
Resorting to my last means, I called upon the corpulent editor of 
the ‘“‘Advertiser” in his sacred sanctum. He had been so informed 
by a “cracker” farmer, who had been so told by one of his servants. 
The place had been nick-named “Negrotown,” so to this place I 
turned my wandering feet. After trudging about five miles, I enquired 
at a low log hut, whether they knew of the nest. The versatile pro- 
prietor, an Ethiopian as black as a coal heaver, replied: “Sutinly suh, 
sutinly. Hit’s a fac’! De nest am ’bout a ha’f-mile from hyah. It 
you wish, we kin ride ober an’ see it.”’ 
We mounted a pair of razor-backed mules and went on our way. 
through the stunted and straggling undergrowth. “Yes! dey hab 
done used the same nest foh neah as I kin rekkerlect ; foh, lemme see, 
about twelve, fohteen years. 
Upon approaching the tree, (an aged sycamore) we found the up- 
per part, where the nest was located, to be dead, probably to better 
enable the parent to view the surrounding territory. Many ignorant 
persons suppose the birds kill the tree ; so I addressed this query to 
my guide: “How is it that the trees are always dead ?”’ 
“Oh ! de bird always kills de tree” (I suppose he noticed an incred- 
ulous look) ; ‘‘hit’s a fac’, foh I hab seed foah trees an’ they were all 
dead.” 
It was plain to be seen that the nest was genuine; so I secured 
board at my guide’s mansion (?) and determined to await proceed- 
ings. With naturalistic delight, day after day, I would sit hidden and 
watch the Eagles (the King of birds and our national emblem) sail 
gracefully for over fifteen minutes without flapping their wings. 
Meanwhile, the nest, which was about the size of a bushel basket, 
rapidly grew by additions, until in outline it far surpassed the original 
size. For two days I did not see either of them, except the male 
fishing at a neighboring lake, a mile away. Rising earlier than com- 
mon one morning, I saw the two magnificent birds eating their break- 
fast of fish, which was presumably brought by the male. 
The female crouched in the nest and away flew the male to his 
lonely perch. ‘‘Well, old lady, I suppose you are about to lay your 
treasures ; so I’ll not be selfish, but wait and let you keep them a 
week, thereby I’ll be more likely to get a full set. ‘I'll not kill the 
goose to get the golden egg.” . 
Meanwhile some startling revelations were taking place. One 
evening, while eating my supper, and the hostess would tempt the 
