18 THE O. & O. SEMI-ANNUAL. 
when I fully expected to secure my birds. lt was one evening, 
late in September, after the last shadows of the sun were fast 
disappearing. I was driving slowly up and around a bend in a 
deep canon, carelessly looking about at the different Magpie’s 
nests, from which I had taken eggs the spring before. In the top 
of.a tall cotton-wood tree, I saw the dark forms of two large 
eagles, quietly perched among its lofty branches. I was very 
anxious to obtain a pair for my collection and I was soon upon 
the ground ; a quick aim with a 12 guage collecting gun rewarded 
me only with a handful of feathers. 
On the 3d day of May, 1887, I met my first eagle’s nest. 
Since that time I have seen a great many. My trip was more for 
a series of Magpie’s eggs than anything else, and the country was 
new and strange to me. I had traveled all the forenoon and 
most of the afternoon without finding a house where I might get 
my dinner. About 4 o’clock I saw my desire in view; about a 
mile down the canon I saw a house, and for it I started, fatigued 
and almost exhausted with hunger. I asked of the lady if I 
might take supper there. Stating my object of collecting, I 
soon learned that there was an eagle’s nest near by, and also a 
nest of our large Western Horned Owl. This last I knew I was 
too late for. 
My repast was finished, charges paid, and I was again on the 
road, feeling a great deal better than I had felt an hour previous. 
My mind was all turned with the desire of finding that eagle’s 
nest the lady spoke of at the house by the wayside. My eyes 
were carefully scanning the top of a long and high ledge of brown 
sand-stone, least I should see the male bird pluming himself or 
sitting in repose on some isolated point. I soon found him. My 
object was to start the bird, and he would invariably fly by the 
eyrie where the female was covering her eggs or young, as the - 
case might be. For the first time in my career as a naturalist, I 
beheld before me an eagle’s nest. My anxiety was raised to the 
highest pitch and I lost no time in casting off all my unnecessary 
equipments, including my coat. Taking my gun, I began my 
ascent by a winding detour to an opening by which I expected to 
reach the top. I was pushing my way still harder and faster after 
I saw the female leave the nest. The cliff was too ft. from top 
to bottom ; 75 {t. up was the nest, on a shelving rock, and 25 to 
the nest from the top. 
