THE SECOND SUB-ORDER. PANDIONES. 



CHAPTER VI. 

 THE OSPREYS AND OWLS. 



THE OSPREY Distribution Food How it Seizes its Prey Nesting Communities STRIGES, or OWLS Distinctions 

 between Hawks and Owls- Owls in Bird -lore and Superstition Families of the Sub-order - THE FISH OWL- PEL'S 

 FISH OWL The EAGLE OWL Dr. Brehm's Description of its Appearance and Habits THE SNOWY OWL HAWK 

 OWLS PIGMY OWLETS THE SHORT-EARED OWL THE LONG-EARED OWL THE BARN OWL The Farmer's Friend- 

 Peculiar Characters Distribution. 



THE OSPREY, OR FISHING EAGLE (Pandion haliaUus}. 



THE Osprey is one of the most cosmopolitan of the birds of prey, being found all over the world, 

 with the exception of the continent of South America and some of the Pacific Islands. Specimens 

 from Australia and the Moluccas are generally smaller than those from Europe or America ; but as 

 the size of the species appears to vary in different localities, the Australian form cannot be considered 

 other than a permanently smaller race. Everywhere the habits of the Osprey seem to be very similar, 

 the bird never being found away from the vicinity of water, unless it be sometimes during the breeding 



