120 



OROTTHOLOGIST 



[Yol. 12-:N'o. 8 



to merit notice, thougii probably it may occur 

 on the coast more frequently than we are 

 aware. The following instances are quoted ; 

 Swansea, July, '79, (Dexter) ; Dartmouth, 

 August '81, (Brown) ; Eehoboth, July, '82, 

 August, '84, and September, '85, (Carpenter) ; 

 Somerset — Taunton River, July, '85, (Andros). 

 In terminating these brief notes on our Bap- 

 tores, which I can but hope will stimulate oui' 

 observers into further research regarding this 

 interesting order of birds, and bring out such 

 facts as will tend to enlarge our knowledge of 

 their habits, and distribution in our country, I 

 would acknowledge the assistance of Mr. F. 

 H. Carpenter, whose extensive collection and 

 voluminous notes, have been at my service. 



The Flight of the Osprey. 



BY FREDERIC H. CARPENTER. 



To perform certain movements, not neces- 

 sary to the work of simple existence, seems to 

 be the function of all orders of animal life. 

 We look for such display of physical powers 

 with a theory of its variation, according to the 

 development of the animate creation in which 

 it exists. In quadrupeds and birds, size seems 

 to be regarded when classifying such as in- 

 dulge their playful propensities from their less 

 active fellows. We look for more graceful 

 movements in the agile squirrel than in the 

 huge elephant, with varying degrees in intei- 

 mediate pi-oportions, and we expect to see the 

 gaudy oriole flit about in pure ecstacy, but 

 hardly the slow flapping heron. Certain 

 conditions of procuring of food, or mating, may 

 cause, at various times, nearly every known 

 species to perform sundry aerial evolutions not 

 consistent with its regular habit, but the reason 

 from cause to effect is so apparent as to excite 

 naught but admiration of the wondrous power 

 of flight displayed. 



Of all our orders of birds, none seem more 

 prosaic than the Baptores. Even the quick- 

 winged Accipitre, is only bent on foraging when 

 he dashes swiftly in and out before us, and 

 certainly no one would accuse the lazy Bicteo 

 of deviating from his business-like method of 

 procuring his daily food. It will seem, then, 

 the more interesting, as an oddity of nature, 

 when we select from this order of birds, a 

 species which displays this playfulness, when 

 on wing, to a maximum. 



Latter March in JSTew England is but a step 

 removed from stern Winter's rigorous sway. 



The beams of the sun, now drawing nearer, 

 have scarcely tempered the rivers and bays 

 from their icy chill. Expectant, impatient 

 fishermen are awaiting that avian signal which 

 shall proclaim to them that the time has come 

 for them to eke their substance from the com- 

 ing schools of herring as they return to their 

 spawning grounds. The experience of former 

 years is again renewed when the flute-like 

 whistle of the Osprey is heard, but not alone, 

 it is almost a chorus, and the eye can detect 

 them soaring high above their old retieats. 

 Even at this entre to their sojourn with us, 

 their manner of flight strikes us as far differ- 

 ent from other preying birds, as they swing 

 about in graceful circles and eliptics in pleas- 

 ing sociality^ They are not seeking their finny 

 prey, nor have the affairs of nesting begun, yet 

 tliey are at times almost hilarious in tlieir dem- 

 onstrative flight. 



Again, a little later, when repairing their 

 huge domiciles, I have seen them drop a sti(;k 

 purposely, and swooping down catch it again, 

 for all the world like a gigantic swallow with 

 a proportionate straw. Nothing but pure fun, 

 as conceived in an Osprey's cranium, can pro- 

 mote such mid-air antics. A curious peiform- 

 ance has been witnessed on several occasions 

 on a fresh-water pond not far from their nest- 

 ing colony. A number of Ospreys were seen 

 to alight on the surface of the pond and buoy- 

 ing themselves afloat by means of wide-spread 

 wings, would remain for a few momi'nts in that 

 position, then slowly rising would shake the 

 water from their feathers and resume the usual 

 fishing flight. No motive could be ascertained 

 for this curious action, and it can but be placed 

 on the same catalogue as the other erratic 

 habits of this truly eccentric bird. A very 

 stj-ikiug and often noticed feat of the Osprey 

 is its repeated soaring and pitching alternately^ 

 One may be seen flying at a certain height, 

 when suddenly by a few rapid motions of its 

 wings it will ascend to a higher plane, and 

 then with set wings drop quickly to its former 

 altitude. I have witnessed on one occasion one 

 of these birds repeat this performance thirty- 

 seven consecutive times within nine miimtes. 

 This tumbling is done at all seasons, and like 

 its other remarkable feats can not be attributed 

 to any cause, as far as my observation, cover- 

 ing over a scoi-e of years, can detect. 



Individual characteristics have been frequent- 

 ly observed in the colony, but the foregoing 

 traits are very pronounced, collectively, on the 

 entire population. 



All large birds are more moderate in action 



