4 A CATALOGUE OF THE BIEDS 



On the 12tli of May, 1856, I had the good fortune to witness 

 an Osprey fishing at Prestwick Car. It made several stoops, and 

 at length carried off a fish of considerahle size ; and, as it flew 

 close over my head, I had an excellent opportunity of observing 

 with my pocket telescope how it carried its prey. The fish hung 

 down, for some distance below the bird, lengthwise and parallel 

 with its body. Four days afterwards I visited the Car again, 

 and again had the satisfaction of seeing it fishing. This time I 

 found it perched on a post in the Black Pool, but it soon rose on 

 the wing and made several stoops with great vigour, dashing 

 into the water with amazing velocity, though it did not succeed 

 in taking a fish while I watched it. 



The specimen mentioned in Mr. Selby's catalogue, as having 

 been shot at Prestwick Car, came into my possession on the death 

 of the late Henry Hewitson, Esq. It was a fine mature bird ; 

 but being much injured with moths, it could not be preserved. 



The Osprey does not vary much in plumage. The birds that 

 occur in the latter part of the year have usually the feathers of 

 the upper parts margined with white or pale buff. As the plum- 

 age in these cases is quite fresh, it appears that these birds are 

 either ia the first plumage, or have recently moulted. Old, breed- 

 ing birds, or those occurring in the early part of the year, have 

 the feathers of the upper parts of a uniform brown colour, and 

 much worn. This is the only variation I have met with, and 

 hence the inference that the uniform colour is produced by the 

 pale margins of the feathers having been worn off, and that the 

 matiure plumage and the first or nest plumage do not, in fact, 

 vary; it is merely the wearing off of the tips of the feathers 

 that gives the breeding birds the appearance of a distinct dress. 



4. BUTEO, G. Cuvier. 

 4. Common Buzzard. B. vtrLGAnis, {Linnceus.) 



Falco huteo, Bewick, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 1847, I., 38, 

 Uuteo vulffciris, Yarrell, Hist. Brit. Birds, Ed. 4, I., 109, 



A casual A-isitant. 



