FISH-HAWK OR OSPREY. 81 



From the nature of his food, his flesh, and even the 

 eggs, are rendered exceedingly rank and nauseous. 

 Though his prey is generally taken in the bold and spir- 

 ited manner described, he sometimes sits on a tree over 

 a pond for an hour at a time, quietly waiting its expected 

 approach ; indeed, my friend Mr. N. J. Wyeth informs 

 me, that he once saw one of these Hawks with a gold- 

 fish in his talons, for which he must have cautiously 

 stolen into some neighbouring garden. 



Unlike other rapacious birds the Ospreys may be almost 

 considered gregarious, breeding so near each other, that, 

 according to Mr. Gardiner, there were on the small isl- 

 and on which he resided, near to the eastern extremity 

 of Long Island (New York), no less than 300 nests with 

 young. Wilson observed 20 of their nests within half a 

 mile. I have seen them nearly as thick about Rehoboth 

 Bay in Delaware. Here they live together at least as 

 peaceably as rooks ; and so harmless are they consid- 

 ered by other birds, that, according to Wilson, the Crow- 

 Blackbirds, or Grakles, are sometimes allowed refuge by 

 the Ospreys, and construct their nests in the very inter- 

 stices of their eyry. It would appear sometimes, that, as 

 with Swallows, a general assistance is given in the con- 

 structing of a new nest ; for, previous to this event, a flock 

 have been seen to assemble in the same tree, squealing 

 as is their custom when any thing materially agitates 

 them. At times they are also seen engaged in social 

 gambols high in the air, making loud vociferations, sud- 

 denly darting down, and then sailing in circles ; and 

 these innocent recreations, like many other unmean- 

 ing things, are construed into prognostications of stormy 

 or changing weather. Their common friendly call is a 

 kind of shrill whistle, ^pJiew^ 'phew, 'phew, repeated about 

 5 or 6 times, and somewhat similar to the tone of a fife. 



