THE STORY OF THE BIRDS. 
523 
or orange, or blotched with these colors upon a light ground. They are 
generally hatched late in April, or early in the following month. 
Osprey—This bird is the connecting link between the owl and the eagle, 
and is commonly known as the fish hawk. The upper plumage is dark 
brown and the under plumage white. It is found in almost every part of 
the world except Oceania. It feeds on fish which it catches both in salt 
HOOPOES. 
and fresh water. It makes a large nest of sticks, either on the ground or 
on a cliff. 
Merlin—This small falcon has a resemblance to the American pigeon 
hawk, the upper plumage being bluish gray, the forehead and sides of the 
face whitish, and the under parts of the same color. The male measures 
about ten inches and the female two inches more. It inhabits Europe and 
Northern Asia, extending into India and China. In Great Britain the 
