FISHING OSPREY. 243 



its claw 1/2 ; second toe lj%, its claw 1^1 ; third toe 1^^, its 

 claw ly-g ; fourth toe 1^'g, its claw 1^%. 



Female. — The female differs little from the male in colour, 

 but is considerably larger. The feathers on the upper part of 

 the head arc more broadly streaked with brown, and the co- 

 loured patch on the fore part of the neck and breast is larger. 



Length to end of tail 26 inches, extent of wings 68 ; wing 

 from flexure 20 ; tail 10 ; bill along the ridge 2, along the 

 edge of lower mandible 1/j ; tarsus 2^% ; first toe 1, its claw 

 1 jg ; second toe l/g, its claw l^^g ; third toe If, its claw \j\ ; 

 fourth toe 1-}, its claw I5. 



Yariatioxs. — In adult birds I have not observed any re- 

 markable variations, the white on the head and neck being 

 merely more or less pure, the brownish-red on the breast more 

 or less marked, and sometimes almost entirely wanting. 



Changes of Plumage. — The moult is completed in Decem- 

 ber. After being worn and bleached, the feathers in autumn 

 become of a dull light-brown, the pale-coloured tips are abrad- 

 ed, and the yellowish-white terminal band of the tail has dis- 

 appeared. In winter, when the plumage is fresh, it is much 

 more beautiful, glossy, and deeply coloured, as is the case with 

 all the birds of this family. 



HABrrs. — The Osprey prefers for its habitation the remote 

 and thinly peopled districts beyond the Grampians ; but even 

 there it is of extremely unusual occurrence, unless in particu- 

 lar spots where it finds abundant food and comparative security. 

 In the Outer Hebrides I have never met with it ; but at the 

 mouths of rivers, and especially on lakes, along the north -west 

 coast of Scotland, it may here and there be seen. A pair 

 generally take up their residence on an island of Loch IMaree, 

 the waters of which are well supplied with trout and salmon ; 

 and on all the larger lakes, such as Lochlagan, Loch Tay, Loch 

 Awe, and Loch Lomond, a few may be met with. On the 

 other side of the country, it is seen in Caithness and Suther- 



