PANDION HALIXTUS. L. The osprey.
The osprey or fish -hawk is spread over all Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is common along all the large rivers of India, and at most of the large lakes and tanks even far inland. It plunges from a great height into the water, and can take up a fish of considerable size, but the Halixtus leucogaster frequently robs it of its prey. A northern poet says, ' Soon as the sun, great ruler of the year, Bends to our northern climes his bright career, And from the eaves of ocean calls from sleep The finny shoals and myriads of the deep ; When freezing tempests back to Greenland. ride, And day and night the equal hours divide ; True to the season, o'er our sea-beat shore, The sailing osprey high is seen to soar, With broad, unmoving wing; and circling slow, Marks each loose straggler in the deep below ; Sweeps down like lightning ! plunges, with a roar ! Aud bears his struggling victim to the shore. The long housed fisherman beholds with joy The well-known signals of his rough employ, And as lie bears his net and oars along, Thus hails tho welcome season with a song : osprey sails above the sound, The geese are gone, the gulls are flying; The herring shoals swarm thick around; The nets aro launched, the boats are plying t Yo ho, iny hearts 1 let's seek the deep, Raise high the song, and oheerily wish her, Still as the bending net we sweep, " God bless the fish-hawk and the fisher I " 'She brings us fish, she brings us spring„ Good times, fair weather, warmth, and plenty ; Fine stores of chad, trout, herring, ling, Sheepshead, and drum, and old wives dainty.
Yo ho, my hearts ! etc.
'She rears her young on yonder tree, She leaves her faithful mate to mind 'cm ; Like us, for fish, she sails to sea, And plunging, shows us where to find 'etn. Yo ho, my hearts I etc.'