graceful than their flight. Now
they would poise themselves a moment in the air, then turn their bodies
as if on a pivot, and glide off in another direction.

All these motions were carried on with the most perfect ease, and as if
without the slightest aid from the wings. Again they would come to a
pause, holding themselves fixed in mid-air by a gentle flapping, and
appearing to scrutinise some object below. Perhaps it was a fish; but it
was either too large a one, or not the species most relished, or maybe
it had sunk to too great a depth to be easily taken. Again they sail
around; one of them suddenly arrests its flight, and, like a stone
projected from a sling, shoots down to the water. Before reaching the
surface, however, the fish, whose quick eye has detected the coming
enemy, has gone to the dark bottom and concealed himself; and the
osprey, suddenly checking himself by his wings and the spread of his
full tail, mounts again, and re-commences his curvilinear flight.

After this had gone on for some time, one of the birds--the larger one,
and therefore the female--was seen to leave off hunting and return to
the nest. There she sat only for a few seconds, when, to the
astonishment of the boys, she began to strike her wings against the
young ones, as if she was endeavouring to force them from the nest. This
was just what she designed doing. Perhaps her late unsuccessful attempt
to get them a fish had led her to a train of reflections, and sharpened
her determination to make them shift for themselves. However that may
be, in a few moments she succeeded in driving them up to the edge, and
then, by half pushing, and half beating them with her wings, one after
the other--two of them there were--was seen to take wing, and soar away
out over the lake.

At this moment, the male shot down upon the water, and then rose again
into the air, bearing a fish, head-foremost, in his talons. He flew
directly towards one of the young, and meeting as it hovered in the air,
turned suddenly over and held out the fish to it. The latter clutched it
with as much ease as if it had been accustomed to the thing for years,
and then turning away, carried the fish to a neighbouring tree, and
commenced devouring it.

The action had been perceived by the other youngster, who followed
after, and alighted upon the same branch, with the intention of sharing
in the meal. In a few minutes the best part of the fish was eaten up,
and both, rising fro