The Monticellonian., 1916-11-30
BIRDS IN COMPACT
EAGLE AND FISH HAWK HAVE AN
 UNDERSTANDING.
Monarch of the Air Watches Nest of Business Partner While the Lat ter Catches Food for Both
 Their Needs.


 Everybody who summers on the Jer. sey eoaSt has seen the fish hawk at work though of late years the number of such birds seems to be decreasingt
 The negroes down in Charles coun- ty Maryland, iu that faraway region of Rock Point oH the lower Potomac where the rlXer braadeue out like a se8 aud where the fish hawk is com mon, have a story about it and the eagle which is interesting While the fisH hawk. CT osprey. dives Into the water for Its food which consists of tiSh and eei~, the eagle io a "land-lub- her au1 would sturye if he had to un- dertal4e ge make 4 livelihood by bray ing the watery depths
 The story thai Ias lts place in the folklore If abe Black Belt of Mary land. k that one day the eagle was very hungry and meeting the fish hawk as he was fiytug home with a fine fish in his efa9ss= saIzfs
 .Mf. Fish Hawk, you and l might as WfiI 6e fHieads and join together and work for our uutuai advuutage.'
 T am willing sad the fish hawk, soaring along Hjth JAe eagly by hIs sitp. hHt keeping tighter grip on the fish.
 Ks you agree with me, I'll fell you what We can do Said the eagle. If you viil rateh at the fish you can and give me HaIf what you get I'll keep watch m the old pine free next to your hest and protect your wife and chil- dFea from tHe sparrow hawks and your other enemies while you are at work hshhe2
 Al right" said the fish hawk q Will ao t.
 From that day on, the story goes, the fish hawk has fed the eagle He does this iu Ill odd and interesting manner. His eyes are very keen and he can see fo q considerable depth in the water and as he skins along over fhe surface of The deep he picks out the fat fish he wants Quick as light ming lie plaHees down. extends his claws and in the next instant rises with the wrlgsling prey in his talons. After taking Il firmer hold on his victim he useends by spiral flight into the heavens. The eagle has been watch ing from tall tree or cras and as the fish hawk rises the eaEle also darts into the sky above him. This is notice for all the fish hawks enemies among the feathefed tribe to retreat.
 Just as the fish hdtk gets to point eh plane that is level with that of the eagle he relaXes his grip on the fish and 1t begins to fall. l. k then the eagIe's time for quick action. Like a shot from rapid-fre gun he dives and ia second CT two has the fish in his claws
 This aerial throw and catch" game between the two great birds goes on continually over the broad waters of the Potomac. much to the edlfication af Ihe aHl9akers. of course. there must be times when the eagle fails 10 catch the fish as he swoops down through the air after it, but it cannot be proved by anyone who has wit messed this particular aerial feat on the part of the bird of freedom" No body seems to have ever seen the eagle miss. and nobody seems to have eyer known the fish hawk fail to catch fish when he diyed for it.
 As the fish hawk rises in the air oftentimes. especially on sunny day, the sheen of the fish can be seen like piece of silver in his claws, and some times the silver" can be seen wrig- gling. impressing one strangely as their eyes witness this tragedy in the air in rescue.