78 EVERYDAY ADVENTURES 
the cliffs were covered with snow; and on March 5, 
of another year he collected a full set of five fresh 
evgs, which I afterwards examined in his collection. 
The birds had built a nest the year before, without 
laying. This fact, with the absence of eggs this year, 
convinced the Collector that the birds were sterile 
from age. During the last years of their long life, 
which is supposed to approach a century, a pair of 
ravens will sometimes build, with pathetic pains, 
nest after nest which are never occupied by eggs. 
The Collector promised to show me a set, however, 
the next day in another nest. 
At last it was time to start down. The Collector, 
who was waiting on his shelf, warned me that the 
descent was more difficult than the climb which I 
had just lived through, as it was necessary to slide 
some six feet backwards to the shelf from which we 
started. As I looked down the cliff-side I decided 
to remain with the ravens. It was not until the Col- 
lector promised most solemnly to catch me, that I 
at last let go and found myself back on the shelf 
with him. Then came another wonderful moment. 
“Crrruck, crrruck, errruck,’’ sounded hoarsely from 
the valley below — a note like that of a deep-voiced 
crow with a bad cold. 
“Hurry!” urged the Collector; “it’s one of the old 
birds coming back.” 
I claim to have hurried as much as any man of my 
age could be expected to do, but by the time I had 
reached the path the wary raven had disappeared. 
I clambered down the cliff while the Collector re- 
