THE AMERICAN OSPREY. 



Here is the picture of a 

 remarkable bird. We know 

 him better by the name Fish 

 Hawk. He looks much like the 

 Eagle in July "Birds." The' 

 Osprey has no use for Mr. Eagle 

 though. 



You know the Bald Eagle or 

 Sea Eagle is very fond of fish. 

 Well, he is not a very good 

 fisherman and from his lofty 

 perch he watches for the Fish 

 Hawk or Osprey. Do you ask 

 why ? Well, when he sees a 

 Fish Hawk with his prey, he is 

 sure to chase him and take it 

 from him. It is for this reason 

 that Ospreys dislike the Bald 

 Eagle. 



Their food is fish, which as a 

 rule they catch alive. 



Tt must be interesting to watch 

 the Osprey at his fishing. He 

 wings his way slowly ovei* the 

 water, keeping a watch for fish 

 as they appear near the surface. 



When he sees one that suits 

 him, he hovers a moment, and 

 then, closing his wings, falls 

 upon the fish. 



Sometimes he strikes it with 

 such force that he disappears in 

 the water for a moment. Soon 

 we see him rise from the water 

 with the prey in his claws. 



He then flies to some tall tree 

 and if he has not been discovered 

 by his enemy, the Eagle, can 



have a good meal for his hard 

 work. 



Look at his claws ; then think 

 of them striking a fish as they 

 must when he plunges from on 

 high. 



A gentleman tells of an Osprey 

 that fastened his claws in a fish 

 that was too large for him. 



The fish drew him under and 

 nothing more was seen of Mr. 

 Osprey. The same gentleman 

 tells of a fish weighing six 

 pounds that fell from the claws 

 of a Fish Hawk that became 

 frightened by an Eagle. 



The Osprey builds his nest 

 much like the Bald Eagle. It is 

 usually found in a tall tree and 

 out of reach. 



Like the Eagle, he uses the 

 same nest each year, adding to 

 it. Sometimes it measures five 

 feet high and thi'ee feet across. 

 One nest that was found, con- 

 tained enough sticks, cornstalks, 

 weeds, moss, and the like, to fill 

 a cart, and made a load for a 

 horse to draw. Like the Crows 

 and Blackbirds they prefer to 

 live together in numbers. Over 

 three hundred nests have been 

 found in the trees on a small 

 island. 



One thing I want you to 

 I'emember about the Osprey. 

 They usually remain mated for 

 life. 



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