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FISH HAWK, OR OSPREY. 
with part of a fish in one claw, which they seem proud of, and 
to claim high, hook , as the fishermen call him who takes the 
greatest number. On these occasions, they serve as a baro- 
meter to foretel the changes of the atmosphere ; for, when the 
Fish Hawks are seen thus sailing high in air, in circles, it is 
universally believed to prognosticate a change of weather, 
often a thunder storm, in a few hours. On the faith of the 
certainty of these signs, the experienced coaster wisely pre- 
pares for the expected storm, and is rarely mistaken. 
There is one singular trait in the character of this bird, 
which is mentioned in treating of the Purple Grakle, and which 
I have since had many opportunities of witnessing. The Grakles, 
or Crow Blackbirds, are permitted by the Fish Hawk to build 
their nests among the interstices of the sticks of which his own 
is constructed, — several pairs of Grakles taking up their abode 
there, like humble vassals around the castle of their chief, 
laying, hatching their young, and living together in mutual 
harmony. I have found no less than four of these nests 
clustered around the sides of the former, and a fifth fixed on 
the nearest branch of the adjoining tree ; as if the proprietor 
of this last, unable to find an unoccupied corner on the pre- 
mises, had been anxious to share, as much as possible, the 
company and protection of this generous bird. 
The Fish Hawk is twenty-two inches in length, and five 
feet three inches in extent ; the bill is deep black, the upper 
as well as lower cere, (for the base of the lower mandible lias 
a loose moveable skin,) and also the sides of the mouth, from 
the nostrils backwards, are light blue ; crown and hind head 
pure white, front streaked with brown ; through the eye, a bar 
of dark blackish brown passes to the neck behind, which, as 
well as the whole upper parts, is deep brown, the edges of the 
feathers lighter ; shafts of the wing-quills, brownish white ; 
tail, slightly rounded, of rather a paler brown than the body, 
crossed with eight bars of very dark brown ; the wings, when 
shut, extend about an inch beyond the tail, and are nearly 
black towards the tips ; the inner vanes of both quill and 
