58 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



repeated some five or six times, which, though it might be 

 rendered as " yap, yap, yap," yet bore little resemblance, I 

 thought, to the bark of a dog, to which it has been likened. To 

 this was added a shriller cry, recalling that of the Sparrow- 

 Hawk or Kestrel, but louder and more powerful in proportion 

 (or perhaps not quite in proportion) to the superior size of the 

 bird. Soon the other Eagle appeared, and the two, as they 

 floated grandly together, not seeming to move, yet covering 

 wide distances in their majestic circlings, presented a magnifi- 

 cent spectacle. When we had got down on to the beach of the 

 lake, Sigurdsson pointed out to me a certain area of the cliffs 

 rising out of the steep, green slopes, strewn and embedded with 

 boulders and huge rocky masses, at one or other point of which 

 the nest was certain to be, but long searchings with the glasses 

 failed to reveal it. It was, indeed, absolutely hidden from 

 below, amidst the grass and tall, burdock-like plants, mingled 

 with flowers, which covered the particular ledge that the birds 

 had chosen, so that when one of them, at last, descended upon 

 it (it was like the wind, in a shape, sweeping down), I could do 

 no more than distinguish the head and hooked beak, with its 

 lurid yellow sere, which, however, was sufficiently exciting. 

 During this time Sigurdsson had gone off to make inquiries of 

 some shepherding boys, whose house was in the neighbourhood, 

 and with whom he, before long, returned. Detailed information 

 in regard to the site of the eyrie was now given by the boys, 

 which, however, 1 sitting still had anticipated. I had seen some- 

 thing more, too, for, whilst watching their glorious, imperial 

 rule of the air, both birds together came down on the bare, 

 rounded summit of a hill, just above the cliffs that it topped. 

 Here they stood, for a little, and, when they took flight, again, I 

 noted that they rose by simply spreading their wings — those 

 " sail-broad vans " — and floating away on them. There was 

 not one flap or even quiver — they simply soared from the 

 ground. 



The site for pitching the tent — by no means an ideal one — 

 the site I meant, but this applies to the tent as well — having been 

 decided upon, we now — Sigurdsson and myself, the boys had gone 

 —started back to bring it on. First, however, a boy, who had 

 accompanied us on foot, and been left on the other side of the 



