Jan. 1874 Littow keeps her head rolling about as if looking out for insects. When climbing to a level with the nest I found it contained three eggs, but although from the ground it looked within easy reach of the main trunk I could not even touch the edge stretch as I ought. However as the branch though small looked sound & the tree was an oak I determined to crawl out upon it and putting this into operation I soon grasped the nest & was cautious by pulling it towards me when without an instant warning the bough split off at its junction with the main stem and I was precipitated head foremost through the leaves towards the earth; that moment seemed an hour & any escape from a fall of fifty feet to the ground below (which by the way was jagged & rocky) appeared quite impossible for no branches intermeddle to break the fall but by the help of God I was saved, for the branch to which I still clung, still held by a strip of bark to the tree & swinging in the wind like a pendulum I was at length enabled to grasp another limb & draw myself up to a firm footing