596 Mr. J. H. Gurney's Notes on 



nests in large communities^ as maiiy as three hundred pairs 

 having been observed nesting on one small island ; " and 

 again^ " it is most abundant from Long Island to the Chesa- 

 peake, and througliout this long extent of coast is very nu- 

 merous, often breeding in large communities, to the number 

 of several hundred pairs ; avray from the coast it is much less 

 frequent, but is occasionally met Avitli on the banks of the 

 larger rivers and lakes, and in such instances usually in soli- 

 tary pairs /^ 



The only approach to the gregarious habits of the A.merican 

 Ospreys which I have heard of in those of the Old World 

 was related to me by that excellent observer of Australian 

 ornithology, the late Mr. F. Strange, who informed me that 

 on the coasts of Australia three or four pairs of Ospreys are 

 sometimes to be found living in near proximity to each 

 other. 



The following measurements of Ospreys from various loca- 

 lities may be useful in showing the differences of size in this 

 species in various parts of the world ; all these measurements 

 have been taken by myself, except a few which are otherwise 

 specified, and which are quoted from articles on the Osprey 

 by Mr. Ridgway in the ^ Land Birds of North America/ 

 by Mr. Dresser in the ' Birds of Europe,^ and by Col. Prje- 

 valsky in his " Notes on the Birds of Mongolia," published in 

 Rowley's ' Ornithological Miscellany.' The measurements 

 so quoted I have indicated with the names of the several 

 authorities ; and I have also mentioned the sex of the speci- 

 mens when this has been ascertained. 



Wing. Tarsus. Middle toe s. u. 



in. in. in. 



Canada 2070 2-20 1-90* 



Galliua, on the Mississippi . . 20-00 2-00 1-80* 



Pennsylvania $, (-ReW^/M'fl?/) . 20-50 2-1.5 1-70 



Vancouver's Land 19-60 2-20 1-90 



Monterey, California 20-30 2-00 1-90* 



San Diego, Southern Call- 1 20-70 2-50 2-20 



f ornia i 



San Jos^, Southern Call- 1 20-00 2-15 1-90 



fornia, <3 {Ridgway) . . i 



