rALCONID^E. 171 



are built up with turf and other compact materials ; the summit is of 

 moss, very tlat and even ; and the cavity occupies a comparatively small 

 part of it. I know no other nest at all like it." The eggs of the Os])rey 

 are greatly prized by collectors, as they are among the most beautiful, and 

 most varied in their markings, of all the eggs produced by the Palconidte. 



The crj- of the Osprey is said to be \ery musical. It tiies with slow 

 and heavj' beats, occasionally sailing along with motionless wings like a 

 Kite. " Ospreys are very constant, year after year, in returning to their 

 old stations ; and even after one or both birds have been killed in the 

 previous season, I have fretpiently seen individuals flying near the now 

 deserted eyrie" (' Ootheca WolLeyana', p. 5b), 



Col. Montagu states that an Osprey was seen to swoop down and carry 

 off a young wild Duck on Slapton Ley. '• The Duck, by struggling, fell 

 from the talons of the Eagle, but was again recovered before it reached 

 the water," The Osprey poises itself, like the Kestrel, while examining 

 a place below for food, as Col. ^lontagu has described. '• As we were 

 crossing the bridge over the river Avon, at Aveton Gifford, on 9th April, 

 1811, we observed an Osprey hawking for tish. At last its attention was 

 arrested, and, like the Kestrel in search of mice, it became stationary, as 

 if examining what had attracted its attention. After a jjause of some 

 time it descended to within about fifty yards of the surface of the water, 

 and there continued hovering fur another short interval, and then pre- 

 cipitated itself into the water with such great celerity as to be nearly 

 immersed. In three or four seconds the bird rose witliout any apparent 

 difficulty, and carried off a trout of moderate size, and instead of alighting 

 to regale upon its prey, it soared to a prodigious height, and did not 

 descend within our view.'' 



Montngu considerecl tlie Osprey to be more common in Devonshii-e tlinn in any 

 Other part of the kingdom, and in an annotated copy of his ' Ornitliological ])u-- 

 lionary,' now in the Library of the Linnean Society, he hag recm-ded tlie fbUowing 

 instances of its occurrence : — " Male Osprey killed at Aveton Gdl'ord, I8th July, ISOf) ; 

 another 4th November, ISO'i, at same place; another at the mouth of the Teign, 

 September ISOS, and several others seen. One seen to carry oil' a half-grown wdd 

 ]Juck at Slapton Ley. One at Slapton ] llh October, 180'.), fed ))lentifully on perch." 

 Tlie same excellent ornithologist observed one hawking for fish on the ri\er Avon 

 from Aveton Giiford iJiidge, Dth April, 181 1, and gives an interesting deseri|)tion of its 

 habits (Mont. Orn. Lict., Snppl.). Dr. K. Moore mentions s])ecimens obtained at 

 Estover in May lS;jl (two); another in September IH.'ii ; two on the Avon (Rovve's 

 Peramb. Dartmoor, p. 2'2'.)). lie had accoimts of others having been killed or seen 

 in .\pril. May, July, Septendjcr, October, and November (Mag. Nat. lli^-t. 1^'>7). 



Twenty at le;ist occurred in the county between 1841) and 187-"), as reenrded in 

 the 'Zoologist' and other ])('riodicals. 15(jlilho, of Plymouth, does not ap|)eai-, how- 

 ever, to lia\e received any to mount. Quite a llight seems to have visited Devonshire 

 ill the autunm of 187.'), wiien Ospreys were killed on the Teign, Dart, Avon, 'J'amar, 

 and Taw (J. G., Zool. 187;'), p. 4718). Since that year none have ocCLUTeil in the 

 coimty within our knowledge. 



In 1841 a female was shot by Mr. Davis, of ITalwell, on tin- Kingsbridge estuary. 

 Another female was shot by the gamekeejier of the Rev. Jvi-rr N'uughan on September 

 urd, l'S44, between the old and new Loddiswdl iiridgcs. Its weijiht was :\\h. 10 oz.; 

 extent of wing i'>{\. (» in., and its stomach contaim-d the remains ol' a lini- trniit. 

 This l)ird is now in the collection of the late Mr. J. Elliot, at Kingsbridgc ( H- ^<-. 

 MS. Notes). One was seen on the Erine for u fortnight iu October 18.')1 (' Naluralist,' 



