322 LIFJ^ HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



ing along from 50 to 100 feet above the water, witli its keen eye it can 

 easily see any fish swimming close to the surface of tlie water, and as soon as 

 it sees its quarry, stops its flight, remains suspended motionless in the air for 

 a moment, closes its wings, and then darts downward like an arrow. It dis- 

 appears under the water for a few seconds, and when it rises and again 

 takes wing a shining, wriggling fish can be plainly seen in the grasp of its 

 powerful talons. It is a curious fact that this bird will never carry the fish 

 with the tail to the front. Many times have I seen them turn the fish 

 around in mid air. The nest from which I sent you the handsomely marked 

 set of eggs, taken on May 12, 1890, was placed in the top of a dead cedar 

 about 50 feet from the ground. It was composed of large sticks, dead 

 branches of trees, pieces of driftwood, and oyster grass, neatly lined with fine 

 sedge grass, cow dung, mud, and cedar bark ; it had been occupied for a num- 

 ber of years. About 75 feet away from the nest was a platform on another 

 old stump of a tree, which at one time had also served as a nest. This the 

 male evidently used as a feeding perch, as beneath it a quantity of scales, 

 bones, and skeletons of fish were scattered about, mainly those of the com- 

 mon menhaden or moss bunker. Quite a number of the nests here are lined 

 with fish bones and cow dung." 



Judge J. N. Clark writes me: "One curious fact in reference to the 

 Osprey I noticed here on two occasions, was the building of nests late in 

 the summer, either for next year's occupancy or for resting in during the 

 season, long after breeding time was over. One such nest was used the 

 next spring; in the other case the bird was shot. Another strange thing to 

 me is that experience seems to teach nothing to these birds. I live about 2 

 miles from the seashore, and one of the matters of daily observation is to 

 see an Osprey wearily bringing a heavy fish from the sea and passing on 

 toward the woods where invariably one or more Bald Eagles are waiting 

 to seize the prey it brings. A few futile efi^orts to escape, a few notes of 

 remonstrance, and it surrenders to superior prowess, and again returns to the 

 fishing grounds, only to repeat the same weary round over and over again. 

 It often has the appearance of being purposely done for the accommodation 

 of 'His Majesty the King of Birds.' 



Mr. A. W. Anthony Avrites me that the Fish Hawk nests on the ground 

 as well as on cliff's along the coast of Lower California. He says: "Near 

 San Greronimo, Lower California, I found about a dozen of their nests on 

 April 20, 18S7; all of which were built on the ground or on small ledges of 

 I'ock — none were over 4 feet in height — consisting of large piles of kelp and 

 sea grass, etc. Some of these nests contained eggs from fresh to heavily 

 incubated, and others young birds several days old. 



"On St. Martin Island I have found young flying about by April 12, 1888, 

 while other nests had young just hatched or fresh eggs. Nests on this island 

 were placed on the ground, excepting a few cases where the birds had taken 

 advantage of low bushes, raising them 2 feet or so. On Cerros Island, Fish 



