PANDIOKID^ PANDION 401 



with white on the inner web ; sides of the face and under-parts 

 white throughout, mottled to a greater or lesser extent with brown 

 on the breast ; under wing-coverts mottled brown. 



Iris yellow ; bill black ; cere blue ; feet bluish-slate. 



Length 230; wing 19-25 ; tail 8-0; culmen 1-70; tarsus 2-30. 



A young bird has fulvous edgings to the feathers of the upper 

 surface and a tail barred with dark sepia and ashy-brown, the 

 bands about six in number. 



Distribution. — The Osprey is one of the most cosmopolitan of 

 birds. It is found throughout the Old World and the greater part 

 of the New, being absent only from the southern half of South 

 America and New Zealand. Eecent writers have recognised several 

 species but the differences between them are very slight. 



Within our limits the Osprey has been observed about Durban 

 harbour and in the lagoons along the coast by Ayres, Eeid, and the 

 Woodwards, but it is not now commonly seen in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of Durban. Dr. Stark observed it about Knysna 

 harbour and Mr. John Wood writes that it is not uncommon near 

 East London, thus confirming Mr. Eickards' doubtful observations of 

 some years back. I have not heard of its being noticed in the 

 neighbourhood of Cape Town or on the west coast of the Colony. 

 There is a living example in the Zoological Gardens at Pretoria, 

 obtained on the Pienaars river not far off that town in 1900. 



Habits. — The Osprey frequents the mouths of rivers and 

 shallow water lagoons along the coast. It can be seen perched on 

 a pole or tree or sometimes on the flats near the water. It feeds 

 almost exclusively on fish. For two or three seconds it hovers 

 motionless in the air over a fish, then plunges down and bears away 

 its prey in its claws ; these are remarkably curved and sharp, the 

 outer one being reversible and the soles of the feet very rough. 

 Mr. Gordge told the Woodwards that he had seen the Sea Eagle 

 {Haliaetus vocifer) rob the Osprey of his hard-earned prey. The 

 eagle watches until the Osprey plunges into the sea and having 

 grasped a fish in its talons is bearing it away. It starts in 

 pursuit and, circling round, causes it to drop its prey ; then darting 

 down with great rapidity, it often catches the fish before it reaches 

 the ground. 



Mr. John Wood writes " Along the beach near East London and 



particularly at our river mouths this bird may be observed now and 



then. I have never seen more than one at a time. Once when 



fishing in the surf with a net a lot of mullet were being hauled up 



26 VOL. III. 



