406 FAMILY FALCONID^i; BALD ERNE; OSPREY. 



energy of character. It feeds on young Lambs and Pigs, Ducks, 

 Geese, Swans, and various Sea-Fowl ; and, like the Peregrine 

 Falcon, it attacks the Fish-Hawk, when rising into the air with 

 its finny prey in its grasp, forces it to drop this in alarm, and 

 then, suddenly descending, snatches the Fish with its feet, before 

 it reaches the water. The evolutions of the Eagle and Fish- 

 Hawk as they rise in the air, the one striving for the mastery, 

 and the other to escape with the prey it has just obtained from 

 the sea beneath, are described by those who have witnessed 

 them, as being really sublime. This Eagle is seldom seen alone, 

 but generally in company with its mate ; they hunt for the 

 support of each other, and feed together. The nest is usually 

 placed on some tall tree, and is composed of sticks, clods, weeds, 

 and moss ; it measures five or six feet in diameter ; and being 

 annually augmented by fresh layers, it is often as much in depth. 

 The young are from two to four in number at each brood ; they 

 are at least four years before they acquire their adult plumage ; 

 but they pair and breed in the first spring after their birth. 

 The Osprey, or Fish-Hawk, departs still more widely from the 

 true Eagles ; being adapted for feeding exclusively upon Fish. 

 The tarsi are covered with scales instead of feathers ; and the 

 toes have their under-surface roughened with similar sharp- 

 pointed scales, to enable them to grasp their finny prey more 

 securely. Their wings are long and ample ; and the second and 

 third quill-feathers are the longest. The Osprey is widely spread; 

 being dispersed over Europe and a great part of Asia, as well as 

 North America; but it is everywhere a Bird of Passage, breeding 

 in temperate regions, and going southwards at the approach of 

 winter. It is more gregarious (that is, more disposed to associate 

 in numbers) than Birds of Prey generally are ; several pairs 

 living in the same neighbourhood, and pursuing their occupation 

 in harmony. Indeed, other Birds are permitted by them to take 

 up their abodes in the interstices of their capacious nests, which 

 are constructed of sticks, sea- weed, grass, turf, &c. ; and which, 

 being repaired every year, sometimes becomes a good cart-load. 

 No instance has ever been known of its attacking land animals 

 or Birds, even when pressed by hunger ; and hence its presence 



