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ing beyond the tail. Female, on the upper part of the head 

 streaked with dark brown ; the sides of the neck, lower neck, and 

 fore part of the breast spotted and streaked with brown, and about 

 two inches longer than the male. Length of male twenty-two 

 inches, of wing eighteen. 



The Osprey arrives among us in the latter part of March ; and 

 it is said its migrations extend as far as Hudson's Bay. Its flight 

 is graceful and easy ; at times it is seen making wide circles in the 

 air, and when in pursuit of prey is seen passing low over the 

 water, and at times it is observed perched on a dry limb that com- 

 mands a view of a neighboring stream, intently gazing on the 

 scene before it. The instant its prey is descried it descends with 

 the swiftness of an arrow and gives pursuit to the luckless fish 

 destined soon to struggle in the grasp of its keen-eyed destroyer. 

 It seems to prefer taking its prey when at the surface, but when 

 such opportunity does not offer it plunges into the stream and is 

 usually successful in the effort, but is not at all times allowed to 

 enjoy the fruits of its labor ; on rising with the game it is not un- 

 frequently given chase by the Eagle, to which it yields the prize, 

 utters an indignant scream, and passes on to follow in peaceful 

 retirement the bent of its inclination. Its flesh being of no value 

 to the sportsman, it suffers but little by the gun, and from the 

 innocency of its character is allowed to pursue its avocation in 

 peace and security. It subsists entirely on fish, which it takes 

 alive, and at the commencement of cool weather, follows its finned 

 prey to a more temperate climate. On the Islands lying in the 

 vicinity of the eastern extremity of Long Island, great numbers 

 breed. 



