THE BAY STATE OOLOGIST. 



35 



epicure with her biscuit, honey, milk, ham and eggs, Pompey said: "Mistah My- 

 ahs, 'peers like de people tink dat you am gwine to take our Eagles' nest, and dey 

 want me to tell youh dat dey will tah and fedder youh if youh do. Foh it would 

 bring on a plague on us if hit was destroyed." 



I was thunderstruck; but I might have suspected it among such a superstitious, 

 ignorant people. However. I managed to stammer out, "Oh! you are mistaken, 

 Uncle Pompey, for I am just sketching the nest." This appeared to satisfy them : 

 but how to get the nest was the next perplexing question. 



Two days before the week ended I shot the male, while he was perched on a tree 

 watching an Osprey fishing. To prepare the skin was the work of an hour, and 

 rolling it up carefully, I concealed it on my person, thereby running the gauntlet 

 and succeeding in getting it safely locked in my satchel. 



The only way I could conjure up to get the eggs was by a night attack ; so leaving 

 my window up on retiring, I laid down to rest until I was sure Pompey and Di- 

 nah were asleep. I had not long to wait, for about ten o'clock sounds came issu- 

 ing from their chamber which would remind the uninitiated of the starting of some 

 heavy freight-train. Carefully and noiselessly taking my climbers, a bag which I 

 had lined with cotton for the eggs, and my rifle, I started for the tree. 



The night was as dark as one would wish for; but in my stay I had become so 

 familiar with the surroundings that I easily found the nest. Putting the rifle 

 against a tree, the bag in my pocket, and the climbers on, I commenced the ascent. 

 The tree would have proved by day almost inaccessible to the daring collector; 

 but the thought of the valuable treasure beyond and its benefit to science nerved 

 me to the deed. 



Nearly exhausted, I finally reached the first limbs, where I recruited my weak- 

 ened strength. Upon again starting upwards, I heard the female leave the nest 

 with a "swish."' With agonizing suspense I listened, thinking that perhaps on 

 her hasty exit she would push out the eggs, owing to the shallowness of the 

 nest; but nothing dropped. At last I came in reach of the nest; clutched and felt 

 one, two — "Great Scott !" — three warm eggs. Was a collector ever so blest? I 

 am sure if it was not for the slenderness of mv perch, seven-five feet from "terra 

 firma," and fearing of the consequences arising from awakening the natives, I 

 should have fairlv howled with delight. 



Tutting the eggs in the bag, I lowered it by a string to the ground. Once I 

 slipped but saved myself by catching on a limb and without further accident reached 

 the ground. The eggs were pale white in color, measuring .3x2.52 53.02x2.51 and 

 3.05x2.54. Date, Feb. 19, '81. Next day I bid my colored friends a tearful (?) farewell 

 and was soon home again after having a delightful recreation of four weeks. 



