HAWKS AND EAGLES. 391 



do not winter in New England, where from April until late in 

 the autumn they are common. They are rare, however, in 

 Massachusetts, except during the migrations, and are said to 

 breed no longer along the coast of this State, though a few un- 

 doubtedly do so in the interior, of which I have had satisfac- 

 tory evidence. They are everywhere most numerous on the 

 sea-shore (as is observable in Maine), but they also resort to 

 the neighborhood of rivers and large inland bodies of water. 

 They are everywhere characterized by their sociability and af- 

 fection, their perseverance and industry. They are well known 

 frequently to migrate and build their nests in companies, to 

 remain mated for life, and to feed their young longer, even 

 more abundantly, than any other Hawks. Though repeatedly 

 robbed by the tyrannical Eagles, they continue to fish undis- 

 heartened, and are said never to feed in any other way. 



Their method of obtaining their prey is so interesting, that 

 were it not known even to children, from being frequently de- 

 scribed in books, it would daily excite wonder. It cannot, 

 however, fail to hold the attention of any one who may see it 

 for the first time, and I have never looked upon one of these 

 birds without instinctively watching his motions. The flight 

 of the Fish Hawk is much varied, but he may always be recog- 

 nized by the prominent bend of his wings. When traveling 

 directly forward, he flies with rather heavy flappings, not un- 

 like those of a Heron, which are relieved by sailing. When 

 hunting, he more often moves in circles, and frequently at a 

 considerable height. He often deceives some eager spectator 

 by diving, as if to make a plunge, but he suddenly resumes 

 his course, and continues to saU quietly. Finally he becomes 

 absorbed in gazing at the movements of his prey ; then, hov- 

 ering for a moment, plunges, and, sometimes disappearing be- 

 neath the surface, dashes up the foam. Sometimes he seizes 

 so large a prize that a desperate struggle ensues, in which now 

 the fish and then the bird appears out of his element, and it 

 is said that he occasionally loses his life through being impru- 

 dent or too ambitious. Generally, however, he at once rises, 

 and with his prey in his talons, flies to the shore, where, if not 

 molested by robbers, he feeds in some tree upon his weU-earned 



