AMERICAN OSPREY. 161 



Sitting on a tree overhanging the river, or 

 soaring gracefully high in the clear atmosphere, 

 the Osprey or Fishing Eagle may be seen at all 

 times. 



THE AMERICAN OSPREY (Pandion carolinensis, 

 Gmelin) is found on nearly every river and 

 lake from the coast to the west slope of the Rocky 

 Mountains; it is also quite as plentiful on the 

 lakes and streams in Vancouver Island. They 

 quit the streams inland on the approach of severe 

 winter weather, and retire to the coast or go 

 south. The nest of the osprey is a most con- 

 spicuous object, and can be seen from a long- 

 distance; it is invariably built on the extreme 

 summit of a dead pine-tree, made of dry sticks, 

 and in size as large an an imperial bushel. 



The ospreys use the same nest year after year ; 

 the number of young is usually three. There 

 was a particularly large nest in the centre of a 

 small prairie through which the trail ran, leading 

 from Sumass to the Chilukweyuk prairie : it was 

 placed on the top of a dead pine-tree that was at 

 least 150 feet high, and as straight and bare of 

 branches as a flagstaff; at the base of the tree 

 the trail forked, the other trail leading to Sweltza ; 

 the turn-off was known as the Eagle's Nest. 

 I shot two, a male and female, in August, on the 



VOL. II. M 



