FAM. XXIX. HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 



211 



Audubon's Caracara 



and neighboring lower parts ; the female and young male have a touch of 

 the same tint on the back. Tlie so-called " mustache " stripe, which is so 

 plain on the cheek of the 

 American sparrow hawk, 

 is hardly to be noticed in 

 the Cuban species. The 

 Cuban bird has a conspic- 

 uous white line over the 

 eye, wanting in the other. 

 There is a color phase of 

 the Cuban sparrow hawk, 

 in which the usual rufous 

 coloring of the under parts 

 is lacking. 



32. Audubon's Cara- 

 cara (3()1'. Poll/boras 

 cheriicay). — Au ex- 

 treme southern, large, 

 dark-colored bird, 

 strong in flight, with 

 bare, red skin on face, buffy neck and breast, and Avhite tail, 

 tipped and barred Avith black. These birds associate with the 

 buzzards and vultures, feeding on carrion 

 as they do, but in their flight there is 

 no resemblance. Besides the carrion, 

 they eat many kinds of reptiles, which 

 they capture for themselves. 



Length, 20-25; wing, 14|-16|; tail, 8-10; 

 tarsus, 3^; culmen, If. Florida, Texas, and 

 Arizona, south to northern South America ; 

 breeding in all sections of the United States 

 where found. 



33. American Osprey (364. Pdndion 

 hcdiaetxs caroJinensis). — A large, black- 

 ish-backed, white-bellied bird, with much 

 wdiite on top of head and upper neck. 

 Tail with six to eight obscure bands, 

 more distinct below. It is seen flying 

 American Osprey slowly over the water of our coasts. 



