LXXVIII 



A PAIR of ospreys, interesting and noble birds now 



too seldom seen, remained for several 

 The Osprey 



days lately (1895) on the Tweed below 



Melrose. The osprey must have been a familiar 

 object on that river once, but now, so nearly has the 

 species been exterminated in this country, none of the 

 boatmen knew what these birds were. It is a 

 marvel how this pair escaped destruction, for they 

 were by no means shy. I was not lucky enough 

 to see them myself, but a boatman described how 

 he had watched one of them sailing along the brow 

 of the Gateheugh, whence poured out a swarm of 

 vulgar jackdaws, chattering and scolding the gal- 

 lant intruder. He paid little heed to them at first, 

 but presently, getting bored by the clamour, just 

 as a luckless daw passed beneath him, the osprey 

 closed his pinions, and, falling on the black rascal, 

 dealt it a blow which sent it whirling helpless into 



256 



