第30章 The Fishhawk 鱼鹰
The fishhawk, or osprey, is not so large as the eagle; but he has, like the eagle, a hooked bill and sharp claws.
His color is a dark brown, with black and white spots, and his length is from twenty to twenty-two inches. His breast is mostly white. His tail and wings are long.
The fishhawk is often found sitting upon a tree over a pond, or lake, or river. He is also found by the seaside.
He watches the fish as they swim in the water beneath him; then he darts down suddenly and catches one of them.
When he catches a fish in his sharp, rough claws, he carries it off to eat, and, as he flies away with it for his dinner, an eagle sometimes meets him.
The eagle flies at him fiercely with his sharp bill and claws, and compels the hawk to drop the fish.
Then the eagle catches the fish as it falls, before it reaches the ground, and carries it off.
The poor fish hawk, with a loud cry, timidly flies away. He must go again to the water and catch another fish for his dinner.
Thus you see, that the eagle is a robber. He robs fishhawks, whose only mode of getting a living is by catching fish.
鱼鹰没有鹰那么大。但是,它和老鹰一样,有着钩状的嘴巴和锋利的爪子。
它的颜色是深棕色,有着黑白相间的斑点,并且它的长度是20到22英寸。它的胸是白色的。它的尾巴和翅膀都很长。
我们经常会在池塘边、湖边或者河边的树上发现鱼鹰。有时候它们也会出现在海边。
当鱼儿们在鱼鹰脚下的河水中游来游去的时候,它认真观察它们;然后突然下来,抓住其中的一条。
当它用它锋利、粗糙的爪子逮住鱼的时候,它会把鱼带回去后吃掉。当它带着美餐飞走的时候,一只老鹰有时会跟它碰面。
老鹰会用它锋利的嘴巴和爪子朝它凶猛地飞袭过来,强迫它放下鱼。
然后老鹰会在鱼落地的时候抓住它,确切的说是在鱼落地之前抓住它,然后把它吃掉。
这只可怜的鱼鹰,伴随着一声凄惨的叫声,悻悻地飞走了。它会再一次飞到水里,等待着抓住另一只鱼作为晚餐。
正如你所看到的那样,鹰是个强盗。它抢走了鱼鹰的食物,而鱼鹰是以补食鱼为生的。