EAGLES AND VULTURES IN ALBANIA. 443 



hiding-place ; but if they could not see me they must have been 

 able to see something which aroused their suspicions, for they 

 finally took their departure without having partaken of the 

 banquet I had provided for them. 



A few weeks later another tree was utilised in the same way. 

 It was more conveniently situated, for instead of an hour's ride 

 through the forest it could be reached by walking about twenty 

 minutes, and it provided much better accommodation inside. 

 In fact, I spent a week comfortably sitting inside a huge prostrate 

 trunk, with plenty of room to move about, or even to lie down, 

 and at the same time perfectly hidden from the keen sight of 

 my guests, which had not the slightest idea of my presence. 

 Even the Eavens, suspicious and ever watchful as they are, 

 came quite freely, sometimes a dozen at a time. I could often 

 hear them settle on the trunk just over my head. 



The fare I provided for them was plentiful and good. First 

 I bought a sick cow, and had it killed within easy distance, 

 fifteen or twenty yards. When that was picked clean — as it was 

 in a day — a succession of dead Calves and Donkeys was brought 

 to the banqueting-ground by bullock-cart, and laid out con- 

 spicuously. 



The worst of it was that, in my anxiety not to betray my 

 presence in any way, I did not provide myself with a peep-hole, 

 but only a round hole just big enough to take the lens. It was 

 thus only possible to see my subject through the camera itself, 

 and this proved to be a great drawback. The first bird to 

 appear on these occasions was invariably a Magpie. First of 

 all the curious cry would be heard in the bushes around, and 

 then, with wavering flight, a Magpie would fly to the carcase, 

 soon to be followed by others, until quite a number would be 

 collected together. Then the Hooded Crows would begin to 

 arrive. Presently the deep guttural croak of a Eaven from the 

 summit of some tree would tell me that one of these birds had 

 made its appearance ; but not until it had satisfied itself that all 

 was safe would it commence feeding. 



The first Griffon (Gyps fulvus) came rather late one evening. 

 As mentioned before, I could only see the carcase through the 

 camera, and then not the whole of it ; so that, seeing the 



2m2 



