p. H. BAHR : HOME LIFE OF THE OSPREY. 41 



ferocious and when they did swoop it was a very feeble 

 pretence, in contradistinction to what has been elsewhere 

 written.* 



Some of the notes uttered struck us as being- infantile 

 for so large a bird, and reminded us strongly of a lost 

 chicken calling for the brood-hen. When angered, 

 however, the bird gives vent to a penetrating shriek 

 sounding like "kee-kee-kee-kee-ich-ich-ich " the last part 

 of which is uttered as if a bone were being coughed out of 

 the throat. Again, when carrying a fish they would call, 

 very appropriately, "fish, fish, fish." 



Ne\er during our stay of one week did we see an old 

 bird offer to feed its young. Hour by hour they would 

 stand on the edge of the nest with their prey in their 



Fig. 4. — Female Osprey, calling, with crest raised. 

 (Pliotograph by P. H. Bahe.) 



talons contemplating their " perspiring " offspring or 

 gazing lazily out to sea, every now and again raising their 

 crest, and giving vent to a shriek as a neighbour passed 

 {vide rig. 4). 



* Vide Newton, "Diet. Birds." p. 662, and Nuttall, "Birds of United 

 States," New edit., 1903, p. 30. 



