The Tables Turned. 
We have doubtless, all of us, heard the oft- 
repeated tale of the Ea"le robbing the Osprey 
of his hard-earned meal, but it has never come 
to my notice that the national bird of our 
country was in turn despoiled by the Osprey. 
During a conversation with Mr. W. F. Au- 
bens of this city, he alluded to this fact and re- 
lated the story to me. 
In his boyhood days, some twenty-five years 
ago, in the town of West Bath, Me., there was 
an immense pine, which for years held the nest 
of a pair of Eagles, and as it stood in a clear- 
ing, the birds could not be approached without 
being disturbed, and so enjoyed their home in 
peace, in spite of the gunners. 
One day, while standing in the door of his 
father’s house, he was a witness to a battle be- 
tween this pair of Eagles and four Ospreys, 
who, as developments proved, envied the birds 
their home and desired to appropriate it to 
their own uses. 
It seemed to be a preconcerted affair, as 
each Eagle was assailed by two Ospreys, and 
the attack well managed, as one assailant Q; 
would pounce upon the larger fowl, quickly (i. 
followed by the other, as if they understood 
the theory of successive flank attacks. The 
battle continued until the Eagles were driven 
from the field, and the smaller birds then pro- 
ceeded to take possession of the tree. § 
Their victory was short-lived, however, as a ' 
stronger enemy, in the shape of the farmer, 
who owned the tree, and who was angry at the ^ 
defeat of his pets, the Eagles, appeared upon \ 
the scene, and cut down the old monarch of 
the forest, that the Ospreys might realize no h 
benefit. ^ 
This pair of Eagles went to another tree, not 
far distant, and built another nest, but it was 
situated in the woods near the highway, and 
the gunners from the city could creep up 
through the underbrush and pop at them witli j 
their rifles, which finally drove the birds away 
to more secure places of peace and quiet. 
/fO 
