250 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



Two eggs taken June 19, 1896, were sterile and half incu- 

 bated respectively and measure 2.55 x 1.68, 2.49 x 1.69. Three 

 eggs advanced in incubation were taken from the same nest 

 May 26, 1897, and these measure 2.53 x 1.82, 2.47 x 1.74, 

 2.51 X 1.79. 



When it comes to beauty the Osprey's eggs easily stand 

 very near the head. They are usually of a white or bufFy 

 ground color, very heavily and abundantly marked with spots 

 and blotches of wonderful variability. These spots are a great 

 variety of shades of reddish vinaceous and reddish brown. 

 The eggs from the same nest taken different years show a gen- 

 eral resemblance to one another, but eggs from different nests 

 vary wonderfully. 



The birds are quite demonstrative, flying overhead, diving 

 down toward the would be nest robber and keeping up a 

 peculiar plaintive whistling "whew, whew, whew," They move 

 their wings more than most of the other Hawks in flying, 

 taking quite frequent strokes at times. When a fish is spied 

 they close their wings close to their body and like an arrow 

 down into the water they go with a splash, generally rising 

 with the fish grasped crossivise in one or both talons. When 

 a gun is fired near where one of the birds is flying over the 

 water, even if the gun has not been fired towards the bird, it 

 almost invariably extends its feet downward making several 

 ineffectual clutches at the air and increasing the number of 

 wing strokes. I think the birds remain mated for life, at 

 any rate the same nest is occupied for many successive 

 seasons. 



The eggs are usually laid about the middle of May and the 

 young are hatched in about twenty seven days. The young 

 birds when partly fledged stand up in the nest and keep up a 

 constant calling for food at the approach of the parents. They 

 leave the nest in late July. Among the fish which are eaten 

 are herring, polluck, flounders, sculpins, tomcods, eels, quivers 

 sun fish, bass, perch, horned pout, pickerel, trout and small 



