CH. VII. OSPREY. 115 



element, would give a bird not the slightest chance 

 of catching it, particularly as this can only be done 

 at one dash, the osprey of course not being able 

 to pursue a trout under the water like a cormorant. 

 All fly-fishers must know the lightning-like rapidity 

 with which a trout darts up from the depth of 

 several feet, and with unerring aim seizes the fly 

 almost before its wings touch the water ; and yet 

 here is a large bird, hovering directly over, and in 

 full view of the water, who manages to catch the 

 rapid-darting trout with an almost certain swoop, 

 although one would naturally suppose that the fish 

 would be far off, in the depth of the pool, or behind 

 some place of refuge, long before the bird could 

 touch the water. In the same manner it has often 

 puzzled me how the terns can with such certainty 

 pounce upon and catch so quick a little fish as the 

 sand-eel : the tern's feet not being at all suited for 

 holding anything, these birds catch the sand-eel with 

 their bills. 



The osprey is not nearly so early as the eagle 

 in breeding ; in fact the latter is far advanced 

 towards hatching her eggs before the osprey arrives 

 in Scotland. It is said the ospreys always arrive in 

 pairs ; if so, however, it is not easy to understand 

 how, when one out of a pair is killed, the re- 

 maining bird can find a mate, which it generally 



