April, 1846.] 4. r > 



The Carrion Crow (C. atratus, Wils.) is very common about the Gulf o! 

 California, and at Mazatlan, particularly, may be seen around the town in 

 large gangs. In company with them I think I have also seen that new and 

 perfectly distinct species detected in the collection of the Academy, and 

 described by my friend Mr. Cassin.* Probably both may be found in 

 Upper California. 

 Haliatus leucocephalus, Linn. Bald Eagle. 



Abundant ; in winter feeding on the ducks and geese which cover the 

 plains in immense flocks. 



I have found the nest on high isolated rocks along the coast, containing 

 eggs as early as the middle of February. 



An interesting circumstance connected with this noble eagle, as the em- 

 blem of our country, is, that it was held sacred by the native tribes of Indian? 

 of the coast and interior of California, as I have frequently been informed. 



Another large brown Eagle, the Aguila rial, (probably the bird of Wash- 

 ington,) is said by the Indians and others to be occasionally observed here. 

 Pandion Carolinensis, Gmel. Fish Hawk. 



Common along the coast, particularly the rocky islands, where they 

 breed. At Santa Catalina I found them nesting on the precipitous cliffs, 

 in February, along with the bald eagles. 

 Butaetes Sancti Johannis, Gmel. Rough-legged Buzzard. 



Common in the prairie-valleys during winter, keeping much on the 

 ground. The adult in his dark livery, although frequently seen, is much 

 less common than the young. 

 Buteo borcalis, Gmel. Red-tailed Buzzard. 

 Very abundant; as also in the interior in the ranges of the Rocky mountains. 

 Buteo lineatus, Gmel. Red-shouldered Buzzard. 



The shrill kee ou of this handsome species may be heard at all timet 

 around the vineyards and farms of the lower portions of Upper California, 

 where it is more abundant than about Monterey. 

 Bnteo Swainsoni, Bonap. Rocky Mountain Buzzard. 

 Buteo viontana, Nutt. Man., p. 112, 2d ed. 

 B. vulgaris, Aud., pi. 372, et auc. 



This species was first brought from the far countries by Richardson, who 

 considered it identical with the European Buteo vulgaris. 



Bonaparte in his comparative list of the birds of Europe and America, dis- 

 tinguishes it by the specific name of Swainsoni, quoting Audubon's descrip- 

 tion and plate of the specimen brought from Oregon by Townsend. 



My friend Nuttall retains the common buzzard as an inhabitant of the fur 

 countries, on the authority of Richardson, and refers Bonaparte's synonym 

 to that species, describing this, which he considers sufficiently distinct, un- 

 der the name of White-throated Buzzard, Buteo montanus. 



Richardson describes the nest as containing-from three to five eggs, equal 



*Cathartes Burrovianus, Cassin, Proc. Acad, Nat. Sciences, vol. 2, p. 212. 



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