July, 191 7 THE OSPREYS OF THE YELLOWSTONE 121 



old brood of Mallard without disturbing the ducklings in the least. The only 

 belligerent moves I have ever noticed was the driving away of ravens and gulls 

 from the vicinity of the nests. 



The osprey uses the rivers of the Park rather than the lakes for hunting 

 grounds. He hunts either up or down stream, flying along with slow, heavy 

 flaps that give him an undulating flight. When he sights his prey he stops and 

 hovers for a few moments ; perhaps the fish is too large or in an unfavorable 

 position. If so, flight is resumed. Suddenly he stops, and after an instant's 

 hesitation, closes his wings and shoots downward ; as he nears the surface his 

 long legs reach down, and at the moment he enters the water, his talons sink 

 deep into the back of the fish. Seldom does he fail to make his catch. After 

 a shake or two, he is off to his nest or to a favorite perch to devour his dinner. 

 He is light in weight, rarely more than three pounds, and it is marvellous how 

 many miles he can carry a fish of one-third his own weight. Fish are carried 

 head foremost but I note no preference as to whether the fish is right side up or 

 not. I imagine if the original striking hold is retained, the fish is carried back 

 up ; but if for any reason the grasp is shifted then the side or even the belly be- 

 comes uppermost. It is often the case that if a fish is dropped, no apparent 

 effort is made to recover it, whether it falls into the water or on land. 



The departure of the ospreys takes place about the middle of September 

 (September 25, 1914, being the latest date in my records). This early depart- 

 ure is noticeable, for other fish-eating birds remain later. Gulls do not leave 

 until November, and kingfishers and mergansers remain all winter to fish in 

 the streams kept open by the warm geyser water. Yet the osprey seems to be 

 as well protected against the cold as they. 



Summer ville, South Carolina, May 10, 1917. 



HABITS OF THE MAGPIE IN SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON 



By LEE R. DICE 

 (Cortribution from the Zoological Laboratory, Kansas State Agricultural College, No. 13) 



WITH TWO PHOTOS 



MAGPIES {Pica pica hudsonia) are abundant in the timber along the 

 streams in Walla Walla County, Washington. They also wander con- 

 siderable distances out into the bare bunchgrass hills, though they are 

 rare in the open and retreat to thick brush or timber, when alarmed. Except 

 during the breeding season, magpies travel in flocks. These flocks are usually 

 small, though in winter any number of individuals up to about fifty may be 

 found together. 



Nesting occurs very early in the year, and near Prescott the young are 

 often able to fly before the first of May. In the appended table are given the 

 records of nesting obtained in the years 1905, 1906, 1908, and 1913. All of the 

 nests reported were found in the timber along the Touchet River about two 

 miles east of Prescott. Other duties of the author interfered with regular ob- 

 servations, so the records are not at all complete. 



The average number of eggs in a set, calculated from thirteen apparently 



