THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



6\ 



The Eagle's Nest. 



(for the young OOLOGIST.) 



On a high precipice overhanging a wild 

 mountain road, in the Coast Range of 

 iSTorthern California, wa sthe nest of a large 

 Golden Eagle. For many years it re- 

 mained unmolested. But alas ! the fatal 

 day came. 



One day in early spring as I was riding 

 along the road, I thought I would try and 

 get the Eagle's eggs. So the next day I 

 started early for the nest. After two 

 hours hard climbing I reached the top of 

 the precipice, above the nest of the eagle. 

 I sat down under a mountain pine to rest, 

 and try and contrive some way to get to 

 the nest. After looking round for a while 

 I found that by the aid of some roots, I 

 could get down to a platform about ten feet 

 from the nest. This I did and when I got 

 down, I found that I could plainly see the 

 eggs from that point. When I looked 

 over the edge of the rock, the eagle flew 

 off the nest with a loud hoarse shriek. 

 On the nest were two eggs, somewhat larg- 

 er than a turkey's egg, with fine brown 

 spots completely covering the suface. 

 The nest was a large one the result of 

 many years labor. On top of the nest was 

 an enormous pile of bones, which had been 

 accumulating for years. Here I was, ' ' so 

 near, and yet so far," from the nest. I 

 could neither get down to tt from above, 

 nor up to it from below. I was getting 

 ready to go home and leave the eagle un- 

 molested, when I thought 1 would kill the 

 bird anyhow. On the nest was a dead rat, 

 which the eagle had brought there that 

 morning. By the help of a long pole I 

 succeeded in getting the rat. I had a bottle 

 of poison with me, with this I poisoned 

 the rat, and dropped it back on the nest and 

 then started for home. The next morning 

 I returned provided with a ball of twine, 

 and an old cloth hat. When I got to the 

 nest, I found that the eagle had eaten the 

 rat, and met with an tmhappy death and 

 now lay at the bottom of the precipice. 

 I took the hat and cut a hole in each side, 

 and tied the two ends of a long string in 



each hole. This formed a basket with a 

 long handle. I then dropped the hat on the 

 nest, and with a long pole rolled one egg 

 in and pulled it up, and then, dropped the 

 hat back the second time and served the 

 remaining one the same way. I now for 

 the first time in my life owned two eggs of 

 an eagle. But I am very sorry to say that 

 I am without one now, I gave one away 

 and the other took a tri]3 from the table to 

 the floor, and you all khow what is liable 

 to happen to an egg that would take such 

 a leap. It has never been my lot to visit 

 the eagle's nest since, but if I ever go that 

 way again you shall have a full account of 

 my adventure. E. H. F 



Berkeley, California. 



Postpoaed. 



The competition for the 100 valuable 

 presents mentioned on page 50, which 

 we are to give our friends for obtaining 

 subscribers for The Young Oologist 

 was to close on August 10th, but owing to 

 the fact that many of our larger lists are 

 from the far west, we have concluded not 

 to close the competition until August 20th. 

 Let it be distinctly understood that all 

 names sent us on or before that date shall 

 count toward one of the presents. Up to 

 date, July 25th, there has been only one 

 or two persons who have sent us lists 

 numbering over ten names, and not over 

 six persons whose list exceeds four names. 

 You have still two more weeks to work ; 

 Improve your time ; remember we give 

 you good pay for your trouble, and if the 

 largest list of subscribers sent us by any 

 one person does not exceed twelve names, 

 the party sending that list shall have our 

 first prize of $25.00 cash. Should the 

 competition close to day, there would not 

 be competitors enough to take all of the 

 100 prizes offered, and we can almost 

 guarantee every person who sends only two 

 names one of the prizes. A list of the prize 

 winners will be published in the October 

 number of The Young Oologist. The 

 prizes will be forwarded to the winners 

 about September 1st. 



