AMERICAN OSPREY. 161 
Sitting on a tree overhanging the river, or 
soaring gracefully high in the clear atmosphere, 
the Osprey or Fishing Eagle may be seen at all 
times. 
_ Tur American Osprey (Pandion carolinensis, 
Gmelin) is found on nearly every river and 
lake from the coast to the west slope of the Rocky 
Mountains; it is also quite as plentiful on the 
lakes and streams in Vancouver Island. They 
quit the streams inland on the approach of severe 
winter weather, and retire to the coast or go 
south. The nest of the osprey is a most con- 
spicuous object, and can be seen from a long 
distance; it is invariably built on the extreme 
summit of a dead pine-tree, made of dry sticks, 
and in size as large an an imperial bushel. , 
The ospreys use the same nest year after year; 
the number of young is usually three. There 
was a particularly large nest in the centre of a 
small prairie through which the trail ran, leading 
from Sumass to the Chilukweyuk prairie: it was 
placed on the top of a dead pine-tree that was at 
least 150 feet high, and as straight and bare of 
branches as a flagstaff; at the base of the tree 
the trail forked, the other trail leading to Sweltza ; 
the turn-off was known as the Eagle’s Nest. 
I shot two, a male and female, in August, on the 
VOL. IIL. M 
