80 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



in the fcatliers wanting the supplementary plume ; and In the 

 intestines being very long. 



40. Pandion halisetus, Linn. 



Falco, apud Linnceus— Gould, Birds of Europe, PI. 12 — 

 Blyth, Cat. 120— HoRSF., Cat. 64— Jerdon, Cat. 5— P. Indicus, 

 Hodgson— P. fluvialis, Sav. — Maclmriya, H., also MacJimnnga,li., 

 m Bengal, — Machmoral Beng ; also Bala, Beng—Macharang, in 

 ]S[epal — Hegguli, of the Yerklees — Koramin gcdda, Tel — Verali 

 addi pong, Tam. — Fantiang, Lepch. 



The Osprey. 



I)escr. — Above, head and nape white, the feathers of the fore- 

 head and crown with dark brown stripes ; upper plumage rich 

 hair brown ; quills blackish ; tail pale brown, with dark bars, whitish 

 on the inner web ; a dark brown band from the eyes over the ears ; 

 beneath, pure white, with some brown spots on the breast, longitudi- 

 nal in youth, broader in advancing age, and tending to coalesce in the 

 fully adult. Irides bright yellow ; legs and feet plumbeous yellow. 



Leno-th of a female 26 inches; wing 20 ; tail 9 ; tarsus 2^ ; weight 

 31 lbs. Bill at gape 1| ; mid- toe S^. A male measured 23^ inches ; 

 wing 19 ; tail 8^. 



The Fish-hawk of Europe is spread over all India, most abun- 

 dant of course along the coast, where there are numerous back- 

 waters and lagoons, but common along all the large rivers of India, 

 and generally found at most of the larger lakes and tanks, even 

 far inland. As is well known, it plunges from a great height into 

 the water, and bears forth a goodly-sized fish, which its sharp claws 

 and prickly soles enable it to carry easily, and if too heavy to be 

 carried with ease, it can be readily dropped, owing to the rounded 

 talons. It builds in this country on trees, but I have not procured 

 their eo-o-s, though I have seen their nests. It is frequently robbed 

 of its well-earned prey by the Halicetus leucogaster. The Osprey 

 is found over Europe, Asia, and Africa. 



A very closely allied species occurs in America, and another 

 in Australia, respectively F. Carolinensis, Gmel., and F. leucoce- 

 phalus, Gould. 



