The Osprey and its Prey. 
The Flight of the Osprey. 
BY FREDERIC H. CARPENTER. 
To perform certain movements, not neces- 
sary to the work of simple existence, seems to 
be the function of all orders of animal life. 
We look for such display of physical powers 
with a theory of its variation, according to the 
development of the animate creation in which 
it exists. In quadrupeds and birds, size seems 
to be regarded when classifying such as in- 
dulge their playful propensities from their less 
active fellows. We look for more graceful 
movements in the agile squirrel than in the 
huge elephant, with varying degrees in inter- 
mediate proportions, and we expect to see the 
gaudy oriole flit about in pure ecstacy, but 
hardly the slow flapping heron. Certain 
conditions of procuring of food, or mating, may 
cause, at various times, nearly every known 
species to perform sundry aerial evolutions not 
consistent with its regular habit, but the reason 
from -cause to effect is so apparent as to excite 
naught but admiration of the wondrous power 
of flight displayed. 
Of all our orders of birds, none seem more 
prosaic than the Baptores. Even the quick- 
winged Accipitre, is only bent on foraging when 
he dashes swiftly in and oijt before us, and 
certainly no one would accuse the lazy Buteo 
of deviating from his business-like method of 
procuring his daily food. It will seem, then, 
the more interesting, as an oddity of nature, 
when we select from this order of birds, a 
species which displays this playfulness, when 
on wing, to a maximum. 
Latter March in JSTew England is but a step 
removed from stern Winter’s rigorous sway. 
The beams of the sun, now drawing nearer, 
have scarcely tempered the rivers and bays 
from their icy chill. Expectant, impatient 
fishermen are awaiting that avian signal which 
shall proclaim to them that the time has come 
for them to eke their substance from the com- 
ing schools of herring as they return to their 
spawning grounds. The experience of former 
years is again renewed when the flute-like 
whistle of the Osprey is heard, but not alone, 
it is almost a chorus, and the eye can detect 
them soaring high above their old retreats. 
Even at this entre to their sojourn with us, 
their manner of flight strikes us as far differ- 
ent from other preying birds, as they swing 
about in graceful circles and eliptics in pleas- 
ing sociality. They are not seeking their finny 
prey, nor have the affairs of nesting begun, yet 
they are at times almost hilarious in their dem- 
onstrative flight. 
Again, a little later, when repairing their 
huge domiciles, I have seen them drop a stick 
purposely, and swooping down catch it again, 
for all the world like a gigantic swallow with 
a proportionate straw. Nothing but pure fun, 
as conceived in an Osprey’s cranium, can pro- 
mote such mid-air antics. A curious perform- 
ance has been witnessed on several occasions 
on a fresh-water pond not far from their nest- 
ing colony. A number of Ospreys were seen 
to alight on the surface of the pond and buoy- 
ing themselves afloat by means of wide-spread 
wings, would remain for a few moments in that 
position, then slowly rising would shake the 
water from their feathers and resume the usual 
fishing flight. No motive could be ascertained 
for this curious action, and it can but be placed 
on the same catalogue as the other erratic 
habits of this truly eccentric bird. A very 
striking and often noticed feat of the Osprey 
is its repeated soaring and pitching alternately. 
One may be seen flying at a certain height, 
when suddenly by a few rapid motions of its 
wings it will ascend to a higher plane, and 
then with set wings drop quickly to its former 
altitude. I have witnessed on one occasion one 
of these birds repeat this performance thirty- 
seven consecutive times within nine minutes. 
This tumbling is done at all seasons, and like 
its other remarkable feats can not be attributed 
to any cause, as far as my observation, cover- 
ing over a score of years, can detect. 
Individual characteristics have been frequent- 
ly observed in the colony, but the foregoing 
traits are very pronounced, collectively, on the 
entire population. 
All large birds are more moderate in action 
We were sitting upon the piazza facing 
south, about 3 o’clock in the afternoon. 
The river runs past the house at about 
eighty yards distance. Suddenly I heard 
a wild scream of exultation. I thought it 
was an eagle, but, looking up, there over 
the river was a flock of crows who were 
n.t+.pnrh-no* n. onnvp.ntinn in a, neirdiborino - 
>ck I 
ghed 
n his 
s, he 
aring 
AND OCe dis- 
ith a 
Aug. 1887.] 
than those of smaller structure, and seldom lprev 
do we see them in any flight than that which F 
is necessary to their sober duties of life. There- j’ . 6 
fore it is the more remarkable when this species, hird, 
one of the largest of our Baptores , presents it- °wer- 
self to our notice in the role of a comedian, ielers 
We do not criticise it. Would there was more ecog- 
of it in a world of too much tragedy. And L 
what more stately or better formed bird than f 6 
the Osprey to enact it. isten- 
Q.&C> < XII. Aug. 1887 D. IIO-I&I. f as a 
grand sight ! I think the Osprey was a 
female — it being too large, it seemed, for a 
male, for, as you well know, “the mare is 
the best horse,” “ the wife wears the 
breeches,” in this case — the female being 
the more powerful and beautiful bird in 
the raptores generally. — Rev. J. Bachman 
Haskell , White Hall. S. 
1. May. 15, 1882. p. IZ3 
