OSPREY, OR FISHING*HAWK. 
21 
“ This is attributed to the fish-oil, and to the excrement 
of the bird, but is more probably occasioned by the large 
heap of wet salt materials of which the nest is composed. 
In my late excursion to the sea-shore I ascended to 
several of these nests that had been built in from year to 
year, and found them constructed as follows: externally 
large sticks, from half an inch to an inch and a half in 
diameter, and two or three feet in length, piled to the 
height of four or five feet, and from two to three feet in 
breadth ; these were intermixed with cornstalks, sea-weed, 
pieces of wet turf in large quantities, and lined with dry 
sea-grass, the whole forming a mass observable at half a 
mile’s distance, and large enough to fill a cart, and form 
no inconsiderable load for a horse. These materials are 
so well put together as often to adhere in large fragments 
after being blown down by the wind. 
“ During the time the female is sitting the male fre¬ 
quently supplies her with fish, though she occasionally 
takes a short circuit to sea herself, but quickly returns 
again.” 
It will be seen that some of the sticks which Wilson 
mentions as forming a part of the Osprey’s nest, would 
form a very substantial walking-stick. 
The Osprey, in this country as in America, lays its eggs 
in the beginning of May ; they are sometimes two, almost 
always three in number. Wilson says rarely four. They 
are more oval in form than those of any of our British 
Falconidse ; they do not usually differ much. The second 
figure of the plate is a rare variety from the collection of 
Mr. Hancock. Mr. Wilmot has kindly sent me some 
American eggs to compare with our own, from which they 
differ in being somewhat more sombre, but this may not 
hold good in comparing a larger scries. 
