216 OSPREY. Class If. 



were dusky, the others barred alternately on 

 their inner webs with brown and white ; on the 

 joint of the wing next the body was a spot of 

 ■" ■ white: the quil feathers of the wings were 

 "black ; the secondary feathers and the coverts 

 dusky, the former having their interior webs 

 varied with brown and white ; the inner coverts 

 were white spotted with brown. The head 

 small and flat, the crown white marked with ob- 

 long dusky spots. The cheeks, chin, belly and 

 breast white, the last spotted with a dull yellow : 

 from the coriier of each eye a bar of brown 

 extended along the sides of the neck point- 

 ing towards the wing. The legs very short, 

 thick and strong, their length being only two 

 inches and a quarter ; their circumference two 

 inches ; their color a pale blue : the outward 

 toe turns easily backwards, and what merits at- 

 ■ tention, the claw beloncfingj to it is larger than 

 that of the inner toe, in which it differs from all 

 other birds of prey, but seems peculiarly ne- 

 cessary to this kind, for better securing its slip- 

 pery prey : the roughness of the soles of the 

 feet contributes to the same end. The differ-- 

 ence in weight, and other trifling particulars, 

 makes us imagine that the bird Mr. IVillughby 

 saw was a male, as the females of all the hawk 

 kind are lar2;er, stronger, and fiercer than the 



