strength, curvature, and sharpness of its claws, and the
roughness of the soles of its feet, are peculiarities of structure
adapted to the better securing its slippery prey; and
the shortness of its thigh-feathers, unusual in the Falcon
tribe, is also evidently connected with its fishing habits.”
A specimen at the Gardens of the Zoological Society of
London, when a fish was given to it, was observed to seize it
across the body, placing the inner and outer toes at right
angles with the middle and hind toes, and digging in the
claws, held the fish most firmly by four opposite points ; not
relaxing its hold or altering the position of the toes, but
picking out the portions of flesh from between them with
great ease and dexterity.
From the docility observable in the Osprey, Montagu
thought that it might formerly have been trained for hawking
of fish, as by an act passed in the reign of William and
Mary, persons were prohibited at a certain period of the year,
from taking any salmon, salmon-peal, or salmon kind, by
Hawks, racks, guns, &c. In the Complete Angler of honest
Isaac Walton, during the introductory conversation of Pis-
cator, Yenator, and Auceps, on the pleasures of their particular
pursuits, Auceps the Falconer includes the Bald
Buzzard in his enumeration of the different species of Hawks
that were used.
The Osprey makes a large nest, Sometimes on high trees,
at others on rocks, or about old ruins near large pieces of
water, and lays two or three eggs, which are generally
hatched in June. The eggs are about two inches and four
lines long by one inch ten lines in breadth, blotched and
spotted over the larger end with reddish brown on a white
ground. In some specimens the secondary colour is of a
paler yellowish red. During the period of incubation, the
male watches near, and supplies the wants of the female;
catches fish for her, and brings the food to the n e s t: she
therefore seldom quits the eggs, and then only for a very
short interval. The parent birds feed the young till they
are in the full possession of powers to provide for themselves,
and have been seen to supply them with fish long after they
had left the nest, and both were flying about on the wing
together. The old birds rear but one brood in the year.
Specimens of this bird have been obtained in Sussex, and
in almost every other county on our north-east coast: at
Hartlepool, Mr. Selby states that one was frequently observed
perched on the hull of a vessel that had been wrecked.
Two or three specimens have been killed in Durham ; and
they are said to be observed on the north-west coast of Scotland
rather more frequently than elsewhere. Sir William
Jardine, in his notes to his edition of Wilson’s Birds of
America, says, that in Scotland “ a pair or two may be
found about most of the Highland lochs, where they fish,
and, during the breeding season, build on the ruined towers
so common on the edges or insulated rocks of these wild
waters. The nest is an immense fabric of rotten sticks—
“ Itself a burden for the tallest tree,”
and is generally placed, if such exists, on the top of the
chimney ; and if this be wanting, on the highest summit of
the building. An aged tree may sometimes be chosen ; but
ruins are always preferred, if near. They have the same
propensity of returning to an old station with those of America
; and if one is shot, a mate is soon found, and brought
to the ancient abode. Loch Lomond, Loch Awe, and Kill-
churn Castle, and Loch Menteith, have long been breeding-
places.”
On our southern coast, a specimen was shot in August
1836, in Christchurch Bay, where this bird is called the
Mullet Hawk,—a local name for the knowledge of which I