CONCORD 
1892 
September 13 
Sept 
Osprey 
catches a 
Tortoise? 
feet with body raised", 
To Ball's Hill by canoe at 3 P. M., sailing most 
of the way down. An Osprey and a Kingfishes almost the 
only birds seen save a Phoebe and a few Song Sparrows. 
The Osprey was fishing over the broad reach opposite 
Ball's Hill. Poising in one spot at a height of 20 to 30 
wings flapping quickly but loosely, 
the strokes directed forward instead of downward, and with 
the feet and legs hanging down, the big bird scanned the 
water closely. He swooped five times and plunged three 
made 
times before he got anything. The last swoop was much be¬ 
yond some bushes and I did not see the plunge if plunge 
there was, but when the bird reappeared and flew heavily 
past me within 100 yards, he held in one foot, the other 
foot being drawn up and hidden by the plumage) an oblong 
shining object which I am very sure wa,s a Painted Tortoise l 
If a fish,it could have been nothing else than a Horned 
Pout for the color was black and shining. The bird flew 
to a tree on the hill and alighted but took wing again 
before I could get near. 
^The woods on my grounds were silent and apparently 
totally devoid of small birds. I did not see so much as a 
Chickadee there. Yfhere are the Black-poll Warblers? It is 
high time that they were here in force, yet there has been 
no real flight of them as y'et^ 
