OSPREY— FISH HAWK. 89 



occasion, on cleaning out our canoe after a day's fishing on Mud 

 Lake, on tlie Rideau, we threw out a number of large suckers, 

 which had been caught early in the day, and started for the village 

 of Newborough. These fish remained floating on the surface of 

 the water, and their white bellies and red fins formed conspicuous 

 objects. Hardly had our canoes got well under way again when 

 three Fish Hawks flew directly to the spot, reconnoitred the floating 

 fish for a few minutes, and then without more ado descended, and 

 each bore away a prize. I have never, however, seen a tainted 

 fish so taken up, although such were floating for days where Fish 

 Hawks were numerous. 



I further place little faith in the stories told of this bird attack- 

 ing fish larger than its strength will allow it to carry off. Such 

 stories certainly help to garnish an illustrated work on Natural 

 History, but if not supported by fact the sooner they are weeded 

 out and forgotten the better. My own experience convinces me 

 that the Fish Hawk only attempts moderate sized captures. I 

 have seen one hover for a long time over a rather large pike, and 

 finally fly off without attempting a stoop, although the bird evidently 

 felt much inclined once or twice to make the attempt. Trout, 

 suckers and perch, and occasionally cat-fish, are its most usual 

 prey, and these all of moderate size. Even should the bird 

 sometimes be impelled by hunger to seize a large and power- 

 ful fish, I very much doubt the abilitj- of any such fish to drag 

 under water and drown a fluttering Fish Hawk, whose extent of 

 wing ranges from sixty-four to sixty-eight inches. I should like 

 to see the struggle, and note the seconds such a fish could retain 

 such a bird under water. Besides, why should the Fish Hawk be 

 obliged to retain his hold. He certainly ought to find no difficulty 

 in loosing his grasp — for his talons are not barbed — unless indeed 

 his high spirit and " abstemious dignity " prefers death to the 

 relinquishing of his prey. Wilson, who records this improbable 

 occurrence — and other writers have re-produced his story — also 

 says : " The bodies of sturgeon and of several other large fish, 

 with a Fish Hawk grappled in them, have at different times been 

 found dead on the shore, cast up by the waves." I would simply 



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