160 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



captor made off with his prize, which measured, with 

 wings extended, five feet four inches. 



The bird had been seen for some days previously 

 hawking for fish over the Thames, near the Victoria 

 Bridge, and at Willowbrooke. Though several persons 

 endeavoured to kill it, it always flew at too great 

 a height, and was exceedingly wary. It was stuffed 

 by Fisher of Eton, who found the maw distended 

 with freshly-caught fish. 



The Rev. H. Harpur Crewe wrote me word that, 

 during the greater part of September, 1864, a pair 

 of Ospreys frequented the large reservoirs of the 

 Paddington Canal Company, which are situated in 

 the parish of Wilstone, and hamlet of Tring, Hert- 

 fordshire, and also in the adjoining parishes of 

 Weston Turville and Marsworth, Buckinghamshire. 

 They were exceedingly tame, and used to take fish 

 from the reservoirs and canals whilst persons were 

 standing close by, and looking at their proceedings. 

 It would have been well had these poor birds been 

 permitted to remain in peace, for even the game- 

 keepers did not molest them ; but, I regret to say, 

 their fearless and sociable habits at length proved 

 fatal to them. On September 3Oth the female bird 

 was killed, whilst fishing in the canal at Wilstone, by 

 a country lad. After some trouble, Mr. Crewe suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining possession of the skin, which he 

 preserved, and it is still in his collection at Drayton 

 Beauchamp. It was a young bird of the previous 



