find no others equally expressive, and 1 flatter myself 

 that my meaning in this instance must be clear enough. 



For obvious reasons the Osprey prefers shallow 

 waters for its operations, and the great lagoons of 

 Sardinia, Corsica, and Tunis are especially favourite 

 resorts. This bird generally builds a huge nest of 

 sticks : I have never looked into one except when 

 crowded with young birds, but I am inclined to think 

 that the few that I have seen were capped or lined with 

 fragments of sea-weed. The eggs are usually three in 

 number, and are certainly amongst the most beautiful 

 of those of British birds. I have found it impossible to 

 keep this species alive in captivity for any length of 

 time. It is perhaps unnecessary, but will not occupy 

 much space, to inform my fair readers that the " Osprey" 

 of the plumassiers and hat and bonnet makers has 

 nothing to do with the present bird, but is applied to 

 the plumes of various species of the Egret-family, used 

 by unreasoning womankind too frequently as aids to 

 natural attraction. 



