THE AMElilCAN OSPKEY. 321 



either on the cross bar of a telegraph pole, ou a large rock in Gardiner's Bay, 

 or on an unused ohiuiuey of an occujjied dwelling-house. 



"The materials used in nest building consist principally uf large sticks, 

 small dead branches, and dry seaweed. I have found a sheep's skull, ohl 

 shoes, the ch'ied-np remains of a duck, a large stone, and other odd things in 

 then nests. Three eggs are usually laid during the first week in May, and 

 are hatched in about tlu'ee weeks. The young are at first covered with 

 whitish down and are fed on the changeless diet of their parents — fish, 

 which are torn np and given to them in suitable sized pieces. They grow 

 rapidly and soon feather out similar to the old birds. The Ospreys are very 

 solicitous for the safety of their eggs and young, and with loud screams they 

 will dart within a -few feet of an intruder; one instance has come to my 

 notice of their actually attacking the collector, a young friend of mine who 

 was ascending to the nest of a pair of these birds, when one of them struck 

 him on the back and nearly knocked him from the tree. 



"It is a common habit of the Purple Grackles to nest in crevices of the 

 Osprey's nests, and I have examined as many as half a dozen of their nests in 

 one belonging to an Osprey. I have also observed the European House Spar- 

 rows taking advantage of these nesting sites. The Ospreys remain with us just 

 about half the year and depart for the south about the 20th of September." 



Mr. Moses B. Grifling, who has kindly" collected a fine series of these eggs 

 for the U. S. National Museum, several of which are figured in this work, 

 informs me: "The earliest date on which I took a set of eggs of the Osprey on 

 Shelter Island, was April 24, 1879, the latest June 7, 1882. The first set con- 

 tained three fresh eggs, the last set, two, slightly incubated. They raise but one 

 brood in a season, but will lay a second set, usually of two eggs, if the first 

 one is taken. They nest generally in trees at a height of from 8 to GO feet. I 

 have seen their nests in the tops of cedars, the various species of oaks, hickory, 

 poplar, buttonwoods, tupelos, wild cherry, black walnut, and pear trees. From 

 one nest on Gardiner's Island, New York, I took sets of four eggs in two con- 

 secutive seasons; and in other nests I have seen fom* eggs one season and three 

 the next. In the early spring they frequent the salt creeks to fish; later, mostly 

 the liays and deeper water, where they catch menhaden or moss bunkers. (In 

 Gardiner's and Plum Islands this species may safely be said to breed in colo- 

 nies, while on Shelter Island, and other localities near it, the nests are scattered, 

 sometimes on isolated trees and again in woods and swamps. In the latter case 

 a tree larger than the surrounding ones is chosen. I have seen nests in such 

 small, low trees that they could be reached while standing on the ground." 



Mr. Ciiarles S. Shick says: "The Fish Hawk is one of the most famil- 

 iar of the Raptores of southern New Jersey. Cape May County is noted 

 for its many wooded islands lying between the uiaiidand and ocean, and they 

 afford these birds a congenial home. They are very abundant on Seven- 

 Mile Beach, and several hundred pairs have nested on this island every 

 season. It is interesting to watch the Fish Hawk obtaining its food. Sail- 

 26957— Bull. 1 21 



