Upper parts blue, brighter on the wings and tail, which have many black bars and some white tips.
Under parts grayish-white, with a black collar.
A Citizen of eastern North America from the Fur Countries to Florida.
Belonging to the guild of Ground Gleaners, his special work being to kill grasshoppers and caterpillars; but often eats young birds and sucks eggs, like a cannibal bird.
[CHAPTER XIX]
A FEATHERED FISHERMAN THE OSPREY
Before the day was over the children were so in love with Olaf—with the beach where crabs were living, with the sea over which water birds were soaring—and wished to know so many things, that the Doctor told them the only way to satisfy them would be to camp on the shore in August, when the water would be warm enough for bathing; for to answer all the questions they asked would take a month.
"And then you can tell us another bookful about water and fish, and crabs and sky," said Dodo. "So we shall have a bird book, and a butterfly book, and Olive's flower book!"
"Yes, and a beast book, too!" said Nat, "about coons and bears, and squirrels and foxes, you know! Rap has seen foxes right on our Farm!"
"I wish I knew something about the stars—and the rocks too," said Rap very earnestly. "Was this earth ever young, Doctor?"