A very curious anecdote is related of a negro having
climbed up to plunder a nest of these birds. The negro's head was
covered with a close nap of his own black wool, which is supposed by a
certain stretch of fancy to have the peculiarity of "growing in at both
ends." The negro, having no other protection than that which his thick
fur afforded him, was assailed by both the owners of the nest, one of
which, making a dash at the "darkie's" head, struck his talons so firmly
into the wool, that he was unable to extricate them, and there stuck
fast, until the astonished plunderer had reached the foot of the tree.
We shall not answer for the truthfulness of this anecdote, although
there is nothing improbable about it; for certain it is that these birds
defend their nests with courage and fury, and we know of more than one
instance of persons being severely wounded who made the attempt to rob
them.

The ospreys, as already stated, feed exclusively on fish. They are not
known to prey upon birds or quadrupeds of any kind, even when deprived
of their customary food, as they sometimes are for days, on account of
the lakes and rivers, in which they expected to find it, being frozen
over to a later season than usual. Other birds, as the purple grakles,
often build among the sticks of the osprey's nest, and rear their young
without being meddled with by this generous bird. This is an important
point of difference between the osprey and other kinds of hawks; and
there is a peculiarity of structure about the feet and legs of the
osprey, that points to the nature of his food and his mode of procuring
it. His legs are disproportionately long and strong. They are without
feathers nearly to the knees. The feet and toes are also very long, and
the soles are covered with thick, hard scales, like the teeth of a rasp,
which enable the bird to hold securely his slippery prey. The claws,
too, are long, and curved into semicircles, with points upon them almost
as sharp as needles.

I have stated that an incident occurred to our party that illustrated
some of the habits of this interesting bird. It was upon the afternoon
of a Saturday, after they had fixed their camp to remain for the
following day. They had landed upon a point or promontory that ran out
into the river, and from which they commanded a view of a fine stretch
of water. Near where they had placed their tent was the nest of an
osprey, in the forks of a large poplar. The