36 THE HOME-LIFE OF 
the “shoulder” to droop, and for coolness sake slightly 
extends her wings. Occasionally she holds them broadly 
outspread (Plate 26), whether alone on a perch, or with 
her young. 
The violent panting of the young birds shown in the 
nest on Plate 27, is evidence of the intense heat at the time 
the photograph was taken. The gaze of the old bird 
is directed seaward, not without cause; for the photo- 
grapher, fleeing the scorching temperature of the beach, 
has retired into the water, whence he is operating his 
thread release! The small, white object dimly visible in 
the background is doubtless Dr. Bahr, who was similarly 
engaged on another nest further up the beach, and has 
probably emerged for the purpose of changing a plate. 
It is a surprise to discover how seldom the young Ospreys 
are fed. Persons have commented, in looking at my 
large series of photographs, that in almost every instance 
where the bird is flying to her nest, she is coming empty 
footed ; and it is a fact that to observe an Osprey in the 
act of feeding her young, is an unusual occurrence. 
I think they are not fed more than twice a day, or three 
times at most; yet they are always plump and healthy. 
Naumann, with characteristic German exactness, even 
specified for the Osprey a breakfast from 8 to 9, and a 
mid-day meal between 12 and 2, the bird seldom fishing 
meantimes.* J have seen the bird catch fish at practically 
every hour of the day ; but it is an interesting coincidence 
that I have records of Ospreys bringing food to the young 
only prior to 8 a.m., around mid-day, and after 4.30 p.m. 
However, when a man is busied with photography, his 
attention and the range of his observations are necessarily 
limited. 
Early each morning, while Mr. Cleaves and I were on 
Gardiner’s Island, we could watch an Osprey feeding her 
young in a nest perched on an old, tangled vine, which 
covered a tree not far from our shanty. The incident 
* cf. Naumann (1905), V., p. 159. 
