OSPREY EAGLE. 83 



being plain brown: the legs are naked, short, 

 strong, and of a blueish colour, and the claws 

 remarkably large, hooked, and black. This bird 

 is well figured in the folio edition of the British 

 Zoology, which figure is repeated, on a smaller 

 scale, in the Faiimda, annexed by Mr. Pennant 

 to Mr. Lightfoot's Flora Scoiica. 



The Osprey frequents rivers, lakes, and the sea 

 shores, preying on fish, which it plunges after 

 into the water with great rapidity, and bringing 

 them up in its talons, retires to a small distance 

 to devour them. It also preys occasionally on 

 water-fowl, &c. 



In the Arctic Zoology it is observed that the 

 American Osprey perfectly resembles the Euro- 

 pean. Notwithstanding it is so persecuted by 

 the White-Headed Eagle, yet it always keeps near 

 its haunts. It is a species of vast quickness of 

 sight; and will see a fish near the surface from a 

 great distance ; then, descending with prodigious 

 rapidity, carries the prey, with an exulting scream, 

 high in the air. The Eagle pursues, and attacks 

 the Osprey, which often drops the fish, and the 

 Eagle seizes it before it reaches the ground. It 

 sometimes happens that the Osprey perishes in 

 seizing its prey; for if it chances to fix its talons 

 on an over-grown fish, it is drawn under water 

 before it can disengage itself, and is drowned. 



The Osprey, according to Mr. Pennant, builds 

 its nest on the ground, among reeds, and lavs 

 three or four white eggs of an elliptical form, and 

 rather less than those of a hen. 



