186 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



The distinctness or identity of the European and Xorth American Ospreys 

 can only be determined by tlie comparison of a very large series ; this we 

 have not l)een able to do, and altlioiigh it is our belief that they should 

 not be separated, the impressions received iVom a close inspection of the 

 specimens before us (twenty-seven American and eighteen European) seem 

 to indicate the propriety of distinguishing them as races. 



Tiie male of the pair described appears to be perfectly identical, in all 

 respects exce]it size, with a very perfect, finely mounted European male ; 

 indeed, the only discrepancy is in the size, the wing of the European bird 

 being only nineteen inches, instead of twenty inches as in the American. 

 The female, however, differs from European females in having the brown 

 on the breast in the form of detached faint spots, instead of a continuous 

 grayish-brown wash, more or less continuous. 



The tyi^es of our descriptions are the only specimens of the American 

 series which show even an approach to the amount of spotting on the breast 

 constant in birds from Europe. 



The American bird, as indicated by the series before us, would seem to be 

 rather the larger ; for tlie European specimens measure uniformly about an 

 inch less than tlie American in length of the wing. 



In all the American specimens, of both sexes, the shafts of the tail- 

 feathers are continuously white, while in the European they are clear white 

 only at the roots or for the basal half. 



While, in consideration of the above facts, I am for the present compelled 

 to recognize the American Pandion under the distinctive name of carolinen- 

 sis, I may say, that, if any European liirds occur with the breast immacu- 

 late, — no matter what the proportion of specimens, — I shall at once waive 

 all claims to distinctness for the American l>ird. 



LIST OF SPECIMENS EXAMINED. 



National Museum, 7; Philadelphia Academy. 3; New Tork Museum. 1 (Brazil); 

 Boston Society, 6 ; Museum Cambridge, 9 ; Cab. G. N. Lawrence, 1 ; CoU. R. Ridgway, 1. 

 Total, 28. 



^feasllremen.t.•l. 



Second and third quills longest ; first shorter or longer than fifth. 



Habits. The Fish Hawk of Xorth America, whether we regard it as a 

 race or a distinct species from that of the Old World fauna, is fount! through- 

 out the continent, from the fur regions around Hudson's Bay to Central 

 America. According to Mr. Hill, it is seen occasionally in Jamaica, and, as 

 I learn by letter from Dr. Gundlach, is also occasionally met with in the 

 island of Cuba ; but it is not known to breed in either place. Dr. Wood- 



