Genus PANDION.

Gen. Cuar. Beak short, strong, rounded and broad, cutting edge nearly straight. Nostrals

oblong-oval, placed obliquely. Wings long; the second and third quill-feathers the

longest. Legs strong and muscular; tarsi short, covered with scales. Toes free, nearly

equal in length ; outer toe reversible; all armed with strong curved and sharp claws;

under surface of the toes rough and covered with small pointed scales.

OSPREY.

Pandion halizetus, Sav.

Le Balbuzard.

Tuere is no species of the great family of Falconide whose range of habitat is so universal as that of the
Osprey; and there certainly is none to whose habits attaches more interest than to those of this noble bird.
While some of its race prey upon quadrupeds, and others upon the feathered tribes, the Osprey gains his
subsistence almost exclusively from the waters, the scaly tenants of that element constituting its food: hence
it is observed, that the countries in which he takes up his abode must be at least temperate, since it is evident
that if the waters be frozen, he would be compelled by necessity to seek a more congenial climate. Such is
evidently the case ; and hence the Osprey is everywhere migratory, visiting the northern latitudes only during
the months of spring and summer. In Europe this bird is but thinly dispersed ; but to counterbalance this
it is found in every portion of it, at least where wide rivers, lakes and arms of the sea offer it the necessary
supply of food. The British Isles are not so much frequented as other parts of Europe ; and when one of these
birds does make its appearance, its magnitude and peculiar actions call forth the attacks of so many assailants,
that it is either quickly destroyed or driven to seek a safer asylum elsewhere. Indeed it can hardly be said

 

to be a welcome visiter, since it makes the greatest havoc among the stock of fish-ponds and rivers, not
readily leaving if once established where its prey abounds.

In some parts of America the Osprey is very common, especially in the United States, where it makes its
appearance on the return of spring: hence it is a welcome visiter, since its arrival betokens the opening of
the rivers and the return of the hordes of fish. Here along the borders of mighty streams, undisturbed
and unmolested save by the Bald Eagle, its professed enemy, it builds its nest in tall trees, constructing it of
sticks and turf, so as to form a large mass, on the edges of which other small birds congregate and nidify
without the slightest injury : in fact, the Osprey, or Fish-Hawk, is a quiet bird, with little ferocity or daring in
his temperament. His manner of taking his prey is very remarkable : hovering for a time on wide-spread
wines over the water, he then sails about, intently gazing on the element beneath. The moment a fish appears,

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down he plunges like an arrow, almost disappearing beneath the water, but rising in a moment, with the
victim grasped in his strong and incurved talons: throwing the spray from his burnished plumage, he soars
aloft, and hastens to his nest to share the spoil with his young, or feast upon it at leisure. Often, however, is
the Osprey robbed of his prize. We have alluded to the Bald or White-headed Eagle as his foe, who frequently
chases him when loaded with his booty, which he is forced to relinquish to his stronger opponent. The
spirited narrative of the contest between these two birds—the one to retain, the other to obtain, the booty—
in Wilson’s American Ornithology, is probably familiar to all our readers; if not, we recommend them to
peruse it. The eggs are generally three, of a dull white, blotched with dark red or yellow brown.

In the adult state of plumage, the whole of the upper surface is of a rich glossy brown ; the top and sides
of the head are mingled white and brown, and a brown line passes from behind the eye to the shoulder ; the
throat, chest and underparts are white slightly dashed with a few lines of rusty brown; tail barred ; cere
and nostrils light brown; tarsi blueish lead colour ; irides yellowish orange.

The young are distinguished by the feathers of the upper surface being edged with whitish, and the chest
being almost wholly of a pale brown.

We have figured an adult and a young bird about half the natural size.

 

 

 

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