106 FISH HAWK, OR OSPREY. 



reduced to one-third the size of life, to correspond with that of 

 the bald eagle, his common attendant and constant plunderer. 

 The fish hawk is migratory, arriving on the coasts of New 

 York and New Jersey about the twenty-first of March, and 

 retiring to the south about the twenty-second of September. 

 Heavy equinoctial storms may vary these periods of arrival 

 and departure a few days ; but long observation has ascertained 

 that they are kept witli remarkable regularity. On the arrival 

 of these birds in the northern parts of the United States, in 

 March, they sometimes find the bays and ponds frozen, and 

 experience a difficulty in procuring fish for many days. Yet 

 there is no instance on record of their attacking birds, or 

 inferior land animals, with intent to feed on them ; though 



back, lying dead on a piece of ground which had been overflowed, but 

 from whence the water had retreated. 



He mentions also an account of a struggle between an eagle and a pike, 

 witnessed by a gentleman, on the Gotha river, at no great distance from 

 Wenersborg. In this instance, when the eagle first seized the pike, he 

 was enabled to lift him a short distance into the air, but the weight of 

 the fish, together with its struggles, soon carried them back again to the 

 water, under which for awhile they both disappeared. Presently, how- 

 ever, the eagle again came to the surface, uttering the most piercing 

 cries, and making apparently every endeavour to extricate his talons, 

 but all in vain ; and after struggling, he was carried under water. 



Savigny formed his well marked genus Pandion from this species, 

 which we now adopt. The osprey is common to both continents, and I 

 possess one from New Holland in no way different. It is met with in 

 England occasionally, but, according to Montague, is particularly 

 plentiful in Devonshire. In Scotland, a pair or two may be found 

 about most of the Highland lochs, where they fish, and, during the 

 breeding season, build on the ruined towers so common on the edges or 

 insulated rocks of these wild waters. The nest is an immense fabric of 

 rotten sticks — 



Itself a burden for the tallest tree, 



and is generally placed, if such exists, on the top of the chimney, and 

 if this be wanting, on the highest summit of the building. An aged 

 tree may sometimes be chosen, but ruins are always preferred, if near. 

 They have the same propensity of returning to an old station with those 

 of America ; and if one is shot, a mate is soon found, and brought to 

 the ancient abode. Loch Lomond, Loch Awe and Kilchurn Castle, and 

 Loch Menteith, have been long breeding places. — Ed. 



