FISH HAWK. .419 



tained its utmost elevation, which is sometimes such that the eye can no 

 longer perceive him, he utters a loud shriek, and dives smoothly on half- 

 extended wings towards his nest. But before he reaches it, he is seen to 

 expand his wings and tail, and in this manner he glides towards his be- 

 loved female, in a beautifully curved line. The female partially raises 

 herself from her eggs, emits a low cry, resumes her former posture, and 

 her delighted partner flies off to the sea, to seek a favourite fish for her 

 whom he loves. 



The young are at length hatched. The parents become more and 

 more attached to them, as they grow up. Abundance of food is procured 

 to favour their development. So truly parental becomes the attachment 

 of the old birds, that an attempt to rob them of those dear fruits of their 

 love, generally proves more dangerous than profitable. Should it be 

 made, the old birds defend their brood with great courage and persever- 

 ance, and even sometimes, with extended claws and bill, come in contact 

 with the assailant, who is glad to make his escape with a sound skin. 



The young are fed until fully fledged, and often after they have left 

 the nest, which they do apparently with great reluctance. I have seen 

 some as large as the parents, filling the nest, and easily distinguished by the 

 white margins of their upper plumage, which may be seen with a good 

 glass at a considerable distance. So much fish is at times carried to the 

 nest, that a quantity of it falls to the ground, and is left there to putrify 

 around the foot of the tree. Only one brood is raised each season. 



The Fish Hawk seldom alights on the ground, and when it does so, 

 walks with difficulty, and in an extremely awkward manner. The only 

 occasions on which it is necessary for them to alight, are when they collect 

 materials for the purpose of repairing their nest at the approach of 

 autumn, or for building a new one, or repairing the old, in spring. 



I have found this bird in various parts of the interior of the United 

 States, but always in the immediate neighbourhood of rivers or lakes. 

 When I first removed to Louisville in Kentucky, several pairs were in 

 the habit of raising their brood annually on a piece of ground immediate- 

 ly opposite the foot of the Falls of the Ohio in the State of Indiana. The 

 ground belonged to the venerable General Clakk, and I was several 

 times invited by him to visit the spot. Increasing population, however, 

 has driven off" the birds, and few are now seen on the Oliio, unless during 

 their migrations to and from Lake Erie, where I have met with them. 



I have observed many of these birds at the approach of winter, sail- 



u d 2 



