FALCU.XlDJi: — THK FALCONS. 



"179 



Young (42,130, 9, Mirador, Mexico; Dr. C. Sartorius). Black of adult replaced by 

 diugy dark brown, this darkest in tlie hood; white and duslcy regions gradually blended, 

 the feathers of the breast being whitish, edged (longitudinally) with brown. No trace of 

 the transverse bars, except on the tail, which is like that of the adult. 



Had. Middle America north of Darien ; southern border of United States from Florida 

 to Lower California ; Cuba. 



Localities: Guatemala (Set,. Ibis, I, 214); Cuba (Cab. Journ. II, Ixxix ; Gundl. Rapt. 

 ISGiJ, 221, resident) ; ? Trinidad (Tavlob, Ibis, 1864, 79) ; Texas (Dresseh, Ibis, 1865, 

 329, breeds); Arizona (Coues) ; Costa Rica (Lawr. IX, 132); Yucatan (Lawr. 16, 207.) 



LIST OF SPECIMENS EXAMINED. 



Xational Museum, 16 ; Boston Society, 2 ; Philadelphia Academy, 4 ; Museum Comp. 

 Z06I., 1 ; R. Ridgway, 2. Total, 25. 



Habits. The Caracara Eagle, as this bird is called, though it seems to 

 possess, to a large degree, tlie characteristics of a Vulture, and hardly any 

 of the true aquiline nature, is 

 found in all the extreme south- 

 ern portions of the country, in 

 Florida, Texas, Southern Ari- 

 zona, and California. Audubon 

 met with it abundantly in Flor- 

 ida in the winter of 1831. 

 Mr. Boardnian has seen it quite 

 common at Enterprise, associ- 

 ating with the Vultures. Dr. 

 AVoodhouse, while encamped on 

 the liio Saltado, near San Anto- 

 nio, in Texas, frequently saw 

 the Caracaras, and always in 

 company with the Vultures, 

 which he says they greatly re- 

 semble in their habits, excepting 

 that they were much more shy. He could, however, readily approach them 

 when on horseback. Mr. Dresser also frequently encountered it in Texas 

 in the vicinity of San Antonio, and speaks of it as abundant from the 

 liio Ch'ande to the Guadaloupe, but never noticed any farther east. In 

 Arizona, Dr. Coues says, it is not a rare bird in the soutliern and western 

 portions of that Territory. Lieutenant Couch likewise describes them 

 as exceedingly abundant from the Piio Grande to the Sierra Madre. He 



Polyborus tharusy var. audnboni. 



