96 FIFTEEN DAYS ON THE DANUBE. 
saying that the bird could not be there. But some sort of 
happy inspiration led me to ask him to make yet another 
attempt by throwing up bits of stick; and I was right, for the 
boughs at the edge of the nest suddenly moved, and the 
eagle rose with a great bustle, extended its wings, and 
dashed out. 
My first shot brought it dead to the ground, the branches 
crashing under the weight of its heavy body, and the dull 
thud of its fall echoing loudly. I hurried up to it, and found 
to my great joy an enormous female Sea-Eagle lying at my 
feet—one of the largest killed during the whole trip, and un- 
doubtedly the biggest I had ever shot. 
As no anxious cries announced that the male was near, I 
had good hopes of its return from some marauding expedi- 
tion; so I crouched down behind the trunk of a fallen tree 
near the nest, a very damp and uncomfortable seat, for the 
sedge was several feet high and dripping wet. 
The woods round about me were not grand or wildly 
romantic like those of Apatin, but pretty and pleasant like 
the “auen” of the Prater or those close to Vienna. They 
were also well stocked with Warblers, Starlings, Orioles, 
Turtle-Doves, and other small birds. Songs of all sorts 
sounded in our ears; Woodpeckers tapped diligently at the 
trees, Black Kites circled overhead, little birds darted about 
among the lower branches, tree-frogs lustily croaked their 
monotonous ditties, and as the rain gradually ceased the 
insects sallied out of their hiding-places and tormented us 
with their stings. 
After about half an hour of patient waiting I suddenly 
heard a rushing sound near me, and saw a particularly small 
but beautiful Sea-Eagle flying past under the nest only a few 
yards above the ground; but it went by so quickly, that near 
as I was I could not get a sure shot. 
Behind me I quite distinctly heard its feet strike a branch 
