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HISTORY OP CALIFORNIA. 



THE FISH HAWK. 



and graceful, and its plunge, when sweeping down to 

 its finny prey, inconceivably rapid. Audubon says 

 that it never strikes at a fish leaping out of the water. 

 In the Gulf of Mexico, where these birds are numer 

 ous, : ' and where shoals of flying-fish are continually 

 emerging from the sea to escape the pursuit of the 

 dolphins, he observed that the Fish-hawks never made 

 a sweep at them, but would at once plunge after them, 

 or other fish, while swimming in their usual mode near 

 the surface. When it plunges into the water in pur 

 suit of a fish, it sometimes proceeds deep enough to 

 disappear for an instant, throwing the water around 

 into foam ; on rising, it mounts a few yards into the 



