TUE OSPREY. 



605 



fowl and carrion are frequently its food, but fish forms the 

 principal portion of its diet. It does not always enjoy the fruit 

 of its labour, for the Sea Eagle frequently forces it to abandon 

 its prey, which, if dropped in the air, will be adroitly reseized by 

 the robber in its descent. 



The old naturalists, Aldrovandus, Gesner, Klein, and Linnaeus 

 sanctioned a singular error concerning the organisation of this 

 bird. From the fact that it sometimes dives into the water to 



lig. 283. 'ihe Ospiey (l j utidwn tuituztius). 



catch fish, they imagined that it had one foot webbed for swimming, 

 and the other furnished with prehensile claws for seizing prey. 

 The River Osprey is about a third smaller than the Sea Eagle. 

 It is found all over Europe, but especially in Germany, Switzer- 

 land, and the East of France. 



The birds which form part of the genus Morphnus (Cuv.) 

 occupy a middle position between Eagles and Sparrow-hawks, 

 of which we shall speak further on. They are characterised by a 

 full and rounded tail, comparatively short wings, and the existence 



