68 . ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



seen sailinii to^etlier towards the shores, to collect the drifted 

 seaweeds, with which they line the nest anew. They alight on the 

 beach, search for the dryest and largest weeds, collect a mass of 

 them, clench them in their talons, and fly towards their nest, with 

 the materials dangling beneath. They both alight and labor 

 together. In a fortnight, the nest is complete, and the female 

 deposits her eggs." 



Tlie nest is generally placed in a large tree in the imme- 

 diate vicinity of the water, either along the seashore, on the 

 margins of the inland lakes, or by some large river. It is, 

 however, sometimes to be seen in the interior of a wood, a 

 mile or more from the water. I have concluded, that, in 

 the latter case, it was on account of frequent disturbance, 

 or attempts at destruction, that the birds had removed from 

 their usual haunts. The nest is very large, sometimes meas- 

 uring fully four feet across, and is composed of a quantity 

 of materials sufficient to render its depth equal to its diam- 

 eter. Large sticks, mixed with seaweeds, tufts of strong 

 grass, and other materials, form its exterior, while the in- 

 terior is composed of seaweeds and finer grasses. I have 

 not observed that any particular species of tree is preferred 

 by the Fish-hawk. It places its nest in the fork of an oak 

 or a pine with equal pleasure. But I have observed that 

 the tree chosen is usually of considerable size, and not un- 

 frequently a decayed one. 



The Fish-hawk is gregarious, and often breeds in colonies 

 of three or four nests in an area of a few acres. The males 

 assist in incubation. 



I have heard of instances of as many as a dozen nests 

 being found in the distance of half a mile on the coast of 

 New Jersey. 



In New England, the species is not so plentiful, and sel- 

 dom more than one nest can be found in one locality. The 

 flight of the bird is strong, vigorous, and well sustained. 

 As he flies over the ocean, at a height of perhaps fifty 



