fhe Susquehnnna river and about some of the larger 

 lakes in the nortln-astern sections of the State. 



A COOD FISIIKHMAN. 



During tht.' spring, summer and autumn month* 

 these hawks, generally singly, but sometimes in pairs, 

 if not disturbed, will regularly visit mill dams and fish 

 ponds where they can secure their finny prey. 



ITon. Hiram Peoples, of New Providence, Lancaster 

 county, who devotes much attention to fish culture, 

 raising large quantities of bass and gold-fish for the 

 markets, informs me he loses a great many fish from 

 visits of the Fish Hawk. In fact, lie says the depreda- 

 tions of these hawks became so numerous that he of- 

 fered a bO'Unty of fifty cents eacli for evcr\ one which 

 was killed on his premises. 



Kingfishers also annoy Mr. Peoples by stealing his 

 lish, but he easily disposes of theso unwelcome visitors 

 by setting steel traps on stakes or posts about his 

 ponds. Last year he caught, by tiiis means, twenty- 

 four kingfishers. 



THKY LIVE ON FISH. 



The writer has examined the stomach contents of 

 twenty-three of these hawks captured in Pennsylvania, 

 New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Florida, 

 and found only the remains of different species of fish. 

 It may be, as some writers assert, that the Fish Hawk 

 when breeding subsists in part on reptiles and batra- 

 chians; however my opinion is that these birds never 

 touch other food unless they are unable to catch fish. 

 The Osprey, as this hawk is often called, does not, as 

 some farmers helieve, disturb domestic fowls, nor does 

 it molest wild birds. Oraekles sometimes build their 

 nests in the interstices of the (•(inimodiinis nest of the 

 Pish Hawk. 



