FALCONIDA. 359 
THE OSPREY. 
PanpfON HALIAETUS (Linnzus). 
The Osprey is at times not uncommon on the sea-shores and 
inland waters of our islands, especially in autumn: for instance no 
fewer than ten were recorded between the Tyne and the Thames in 
the months of September and October 1881; but the majority of 
these visitors are immature birds, some of which would doubtless 
remain on our coasts, if unmolested, until the following May. 
Estuaries are favourite haunts; and in those of Sussex and Hamp- 
shire the bird is known as the Mullet-Hawk, owing to its partiality 
for that fish. Tradition states that it formerly bred on the south 
coast of England, and the Rev. H. A. Macpherson believes that it 
did so in Lakeland until the end of the last century. In Scotland, 
there were at least two eyries in Galloway up to about 1860, but at 
the present day those which are known to exist are confined to the 
Highlands, where their safety depends upon protection ; while to 
the Hebrides, Orkneys and Shetlands, the Osprey is only an acci- 
dental visitor. Mr. R. J. Ussher informs me that he has fifty 
