84 



An AtlStRALlAN RTRD BOOK. 



F. 69. PANDIONIDAE (1), OSPREYS, 6 sp.— 3(0)A., 



5(1)0., 1(0)P., 1(0)E., l(0)Nc., 1(0)N1. 

 1 174 White-headed Osprey, Fish Hawk, Pandion leucoce- 

 3 phalus, Mol., N.G., A., T. =vt. cos. bird. 



Stat. r. shores 23 

 Crown, hind-neck, throat, abdomen, under tail white; 

 upper dark-brown; chest mottled brown; side-neck dark- 

 brown, marked white; wing-quills black; dives; f., 

 siti. Fish. 



birds eat living fish, which they catch by plunging into the sea. 

 Occasionally they drive their talons into too big a fish, and, not 

 being able to withdraw them, are drowned. 



Flinders, in his journal, wrote about the enormous nests he 

 met on rocky points, and considered they were built by a great 

 "Dinornis." 



The Osprey and the White-bellied Sea Eagle, however, build on 

 rocky points if no trees are available, and add to the nest each 

 year. It is interesting to read in the Western Australian Year 

 Book article on birds that the Government has placed an Osprey's 

 nest in the cave district, "under the protection of the Cave War- 

 den." A pleasing interest is growing in Australian nature in its 

 many forms. 



Just as the Diurnal Birds of Prey (e.g.. Hawks) are closely 

 related to those of the Northern Hemisphere, so are the Nocturnal 

 Birds of Prey (Owls) very closely related to those of the Old 



