24 



the great graceful birds that we had disturbed 

 from the nest. Some 60 feet above the ground the 

 dead tree had been broken off by wind, and there 

 rested the great heap of sticks that composed 

 the Osprey's eyrie. I climbed the straight dead 

 limb with difficulty, for it was of fair diameter, 

 but I found, when directly beneath the nest, 

 that it was of such great bulk that I could in 

 no way reach out and above to the interior of 

 the nest on top. I was anxious to secure the 

 eggs, if there were any, and I tried from all 

 sides to gain a firm hold on the nest sticks to 

 draw myself outwards but all to no avail, and 

 in the end I climbed down to the ground unre- 

 warded, and gave the quest up. 



CROOKED RIVER, 



May 14. 



BLACK PHASE OF THE BROAD-WINGED HAWK 



To-day I shot a Broad-winged Hawk which 

 was completely dark brownish black in colour. 

 It was a black phase of this species. Such pecu- 

 liarities occur, but they are rare, and one is glad 

 to find them, in the same manner that one is 

 glad to see a black fox or a brown-black timber- 

 wolf. 



PIKE AND PICKEREL 



Pike and Pickerel are plentiful on this river, 

 and we are securing them daily for food. Two 

 Pickerel caught on small minnow to-day weighed 

 Ij and 3 1 Ibs. respectively. 



