OSPREY. 17 



RAPTORES. FALCONIDM. 



PLATE IV. 



OSPREY. 

 Aquila Hall.eetus. {Meyer.) 



The Osprey is one of the smallest of the Eagle tribe, 

 and in many of its characters differs from them so essentially 

 as to have induced some recent ornithologists to separate it 

 from the genus Aquila, and form for its reception a new 

 division under the name of Pandion. 



The Osprey is met with in the northern parts both of the 

 old and of the new world. His favourite haunt is on the 

 borders of lakes and rivers that abound with fish ; he prefers 

 the vicinity of fresh waters, but when driven from them by 

 the frost and ice of winter he resorts to the sea coast, where 

 he can at all times procure a supply sufficient for his wants. 

 The appearance of the Osprey when on the wing is different 

 from that of any other bird : his flight is sedate, with slow 

 and continued motion of the wings, and with his tail slightly 

 depressed. Occasionally he sails for short intervals with 

 wings extended and motionless watching for his prey. When 

 he perceives a fish, he may be observed for some time hovering 

 over it until certain of his quarry ; he then rushes down per- 

 pendicularly from his elevated station with great rapidity, 

 with wings closed and claws extended, and disappears for a 

 second beneath the splashing waves, the water closing above 

 him. When he again emerges successful, he rises shaking 

 the water from his plumage by a shivering motion, utters a 



VOL. I. C 



