46 THE HOME-LIFE OF 
and rebuilt several times. Says time for fish is early morn- 
ing and evening. Invites me to luncheon in his garden, 
where J can also watch birds. 
12.5. Male returns without fish, settles on nest; scared 
at blind flapping in wind—departs. 
12.50. Nine Ospreys counted soaring high in cloudless 
sky. Round and round they would go, some of them mere 
specks in the sky, crossing and recrossing each other’s 
orbits, sweeping on motionless wings with wondrous ease 
of flight. Even female could not resist fascination, and 
joined them for about five minutes. 
My new-found and hospitable friend, whose family were 
old residents of the neighbourhood, had some interesting 
Osprey anecdotes to recount to me over the open-air 
luncheon table. Some two years previously, a tree contain- 
ing an Osprey’s nest had been struck by lightning. Of 
the two young birds, one was killed, one was unhurt, and the 
mother was injured—all three being thrown to the ground. 
The mother, he said, when he attempted to capture her, 
fought “‘ like a cat,’ even ripping a buckskin glove which 
he wore. The living youngster he took home, and fed 
on “killies ”’ (small fish) and fowls’ mash, upon which it 
thrived. Aiter about a month he released. it. The 
Ospreys, he asserted, were undoubtedly decreasing in the 
face of advancing civilization. He said that in the proper 
season he has got many a good shad for dinner, merely by 
standing near the water’s edge and throwing stones or 
clapping his hands as the Ospreys flew over with their prey. 
He declared that the birds drop the fish more readily if 
scared before they have got fairly started inland, and are 
still flying low. Only the day previous to our meeting 
he had, by clapping his hands, caused an Osprey to drop 
an eel two feet long, which was found to be still wriggling. 
The afternoon with my Ospreys in the orchard was 
largely a repetition of my morning experience. The male 
returned three times up to six o’clock, but brought no fish. 
He also flew over a few other times without alighting. 
