A FISH HAWK. 53 



lakes we had visited. A small stream enters from the 

 north-east, about midway of the length of the lake. 

 At the mouth of this stream, the water is deep, and a 

 bay of some four or five rods in width by twenty in 

 length, puts up. At the head of this bay I threw my 

 fly. It was instantly seized by a trout weighing near 

 half a pound. The paths along the banks show that 

 it was a place of resort for game. There were in 

 patches, extending from the shore in many places, 

 grasses and pond-lilies growing in the water ; broken 

 fragments of the latter, floating upon the surface, gave 

 evidence that this was a rich pasture for the deer. 



As we sat upon the bank, a fish hawk came across 

 the lake, and alighted upon the branch of a dry tree, 

 leaning out from the shore, some forty or fifty rods 

 from us. After pluming himself for a short time, he 

 soared out over the lake, and pausing in mid air, and 

 remaining stationary for nearly half a minute, he 

 dropped suddenly like an arrow upon the water. In 

 a moment he rose, with a fish of apparently a pound 

 or more in weight, in his talons, and with his prey 

 struggling in his grasp, flew away across the lake, and 

 alighted upon a rock, to devour it. 



Having rested ourselves, we were about starting 



