14 
BRITISH BIROS. 
tends down the fides of the neck toward the wing % 
the upper part of the body is brown; the two 
middle feathers of the tail are brown, the others 
are marked on the inner webs with alternate bars 
of brown and white ; the legs are very Ihort and 
thick, being only two inches and a quarter long, 
and two inches in circumference ; they are of a 
pale blue colour ; the claws black ; the outer toe 
is larger than the inner one, and turns eafily back- 
ward, by which means this bird can more readily 
fecure its llippery prey. f 
BufFon obferves that the Ofprey is the moll nu- 
merous of the large birds of prey, and is fcattered 
over the extent of Europe, from Sweden to Greece, 
and that it is found even in Egypt and Nigritia. 
Its haunts are on the fea Ihore, and on the bor- 
ders of rivers and lakes ; its principal food is fifh ; 
it darts upon its prey with great rapidity, and with 
undeviating aim. The Italians compare its de~ 
fcent upon the water to a piece of lead falling up- 
on that element, and diftinguifli it by the name of 
Auguifta Piumbina, or the Leaden Eagle. It 
builds its neft on the ground, among reeds, and 
lays three or four eggs, of an elliptical form, ra- 
ther lefs than thofe of a hen. The Carolina and 
Cayenne Ofpreys are varieties of this fpecies. 
