The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1917-01-13
BIRDS IN COMPACT
EAGLE AND FISH HAWK HAVE AN
UNDERSTANDING.
Monarch Of the Air Watches Nest o.
Business Partner While the lat
ter Catches FoeA Tor Beth
Their Nsods.

Everybody who summers on the JeN
Sey coast has seen the fish hawk at
work. though of late years the number
of such birds seems to be decreasing.
The negroes down in Charles coun-
~. Maryland. in that farsway region
of Rock Point on the lower Potomac
where the river broadens Ost like q
sea and where the fish hawk Ia COM
mon, have a story about II and the
eagle which Is interesting. While the
fish hawk. or osprey, dives into the
water for Its food, which consists Of
fish and cells, the eagle Ia a ~lantkiub-
ber' and would starve II he had to I'M
dertake to make a livelihood by brav-
ing the watery depths.
The story, that has Its place In the
folklore Of the -Rack Belt" OF Mary
land. Is that one day the eagle was
very hungry and meeting the flsh hawk
as he was flying home with fine fish
in his claws, said:
"Mr. Fish Hawk. you and might as
well be friends and Join together and
work for our mutual advantage"
81 am willing" said the fish hawk,
soaring along with the eagle by his
side, but keeping II tighter grip on the
fish.
"As you agree with me, I'll tell you
what we can do" said the eagle. "If
you will catch all the fish you can and
give me half what you get I'll keep
watch in the old pine tree next to your
nest and protect your wife and chill
dren from the sparrow hawks and your
other enemies while you are at work
fishing"
"All right" said the fish hawk. 81
will do it."
From that day on, the story goes
the fish hawk has fed the eagle. He
does this in an odd and interesting
manner. His eyes are very keen and
he can see to considerable depth In
the water, and as he skins along over
the surface of the deep he picks out
the fat fish he wants. Quick as light
ming he plunges down, extends his
claws and in the next instant rises will
the wriggling prey in his talOns. After
| taking n firmer hold on his victim hI
ascends by spiral flight into the
| heavens. The eagle has been watch
| ing from q tall tree or crag and, as the
| fish hawk rises the eagle also darts int
| the sky above him. This Is notice fol
| all the fish hawks enemies among thu
! feathered tribe to retreat.
Just as the fish hawk gets to poin
on n plane that is level with that of tn,
eagle he relaxes his grip on the iisl
| and it begins to fall. 1t is then tn
J eagles time for quick action. Like
shot from rapid-fire gun he dives ant
in a second or two has the fish in hi
| claws.
This aerial "throw and catch" gam
between the two great birds goes OF
continually over the broad waters o
| the Potomac. much to the edilicatlOl
of the onloOkers. OF course, Their
must be times when the eagle fails T.
catch The fish as he swoOps dow
through the air after 1t, but it canno
be .oved by anyone who has wit
messed this particular aerial feat Of
| the part of the bird of freedom Nc
body seems to have ever seen tn
eagle miss, and nobody seems TO hav
ever known the fish hawk fail to cate
fish when he dived for 1t.
AS the fish hawk rises in the al
oftentimes, especially on a sunny dn!
the sheen of the ish can be seen like
piece of silver in his claws, and some
times the "silver" can be seen wril
Cling, impressing one strangely as thei
eyes witness this tragedy in the air /
which the victim can have no hope c
rescue.