84 THE OSPREY, OR FISHING HAWK. 



The Osprey, or Fishing Hawk. 



(Pandion Halketus.) Savig. (Falco Halicehis.) Linn. 



" Our eyrie buildeth in the cedar's top, 

 And dallies with the wind, and scorns the sun." — Richard III. 



The osprey, like the golden and sea eagles, forms a genus by 

 itself in the same family. It does not breed in Fife, although 

 it has been shot here. It is a handsome, yet powerful bird ; its 

 body is long and narrow, like a clean-built yacht ; the wings 

 are also long, and admirably suited to its mode of life. Unlike 

 the sea eagle it is strictly piscivorous, living entirely on fish, 

 which it seizes when swimming near the surface, its keen eye 

 being supremely adapted to detect its prey when hovering above 

 it— as the kestrel hovers above a mouse or beetle on land. 

 There is little fear of the osprey being dragged under water and 

 drowned, as said of the sea eagle, for, by a wise provision of 

 Nature, its muscular toes and reversible claws are so formed as 

 to let the fish go instantly if too heavy, as if Nature had taken 

 particular care to make the fish hawk perfect for its mission. 

 For, though slender, the body is compact and muscular ; and, 

 while the toes and claws are long, the bill is short and strong ; 

 the culm en broad and round ; and the tomia or cutting edge of 

 the upper mandible nearly straight as far as the hooked tip. 

 The tarsi and feet are covered with scales, like armour. The 

 under side of the toes are very rough, and armed with small 

 sharp pointed scales ; the claws are large and much curved, 

 rounded above and below, and taper to a fine point to give 

 every facility to hold on or let go. The claw of the outer toe 

 is much longer than that of the inner one, which is the reverse 

 of the rest of the Falconidae. The toe itself can turn to any 

 angle to take a firm grasp of its slippery prey. The thigh is 

 long and strong ; the tarsus very short and muscular, measuring- 

 two inches round below the knee, and very strong for the size 

 of the bird, enabling it to keep firm hold of a grilse or trout. 

 The feet are armed with toes and claws of such length and 

 mobility as to embrace a large surface and give perfection to its 

 grasp. Their plumage also is different from the rest of the 

 Raptores, being denser on the lower parts — more like divers and 

 ducks, while, to have no impediment to clutching, the thighs 

 are destitute of the long plumes which adorn their legs, the 



