44 



U. S. P K. R. EXP AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



ness and vigor of flight, and is essentially a fisherman, thougli not at all exclusively so, 

 preying for much the greater part on living animals. It inhabits all parts of the United 

 States, and is apparently common at more northern localities on the Pacific than on the 

 Atlantic ocean. 



List of specimens. 



PANDION, Savigny. 



Pandion, Savigny, Hist. Nat. d'Egypt, I, p. 95, (1809.) 



Wings very long ; general form heavy and not adapted to vigorous nor swift flight like the preceding eagles. Bill short, 

 curved from the base, compressed ; tarsi very thick and strong, and covered with small circular scales; claws large, curved, 

 very sharp ; toes beneath very rough ; tail moderate or rather short. 



This genus contains three or four species only, nearly allied to each other, and inhabiting all 

 temperate regions of the world. 



PANDION CAROLINENSIS, Gmelin. 



The Fish Hawk; The American Osprey. 



Falco carolinensw, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, 263, C1788.) 

 ^quila piscalrix, ViEiLL. Gis. d'Am. Sept. I, 29, (1807.) 

 Pandion americanus, Vieill. Gal. Ois. I, 33, (1825.) 

 Falco haliaetus, Link. Wilson, Am. Orn. V, 14. 

 Falco haliaetus, Linn. Acd. Orn. Biog. I, 415. 



Figures.— Catesby's Carolina, I, pi. 2 ; Vieill. Ois. d'Am Sept. I, pi. 4 ; Wilson Am. Orn. V, 37 ; Aud. B. of Am. pi. 81 : 

 Oct. ed. I, pi. 15 ; Nat. Hist. New York, Birds, pi. 8, fig. 18. 



Wings long ; legs, toes, and claws very robust and strong. JidiUt. — Head and entire under parts white ■, stripe through the 

 eye, top of the head, and upper parts of the body, wings and tail, deep umber brown, tail having about eight bands of blackish 

 brown ; breast with numerous cordate and circular spots of pale yellowish brown ; bill and claws bluish black ; tarsi and toes 

 greenish yellow. 



Young. — Similar to the adult, but with the upper plumage edged and tipped witli pale brownish nearly white. Spots on 

 breast more numerous and darker colored. 



Total length, female, about 25 inches ; wing, 21 inches ; tail, lOj inches. Male rather smaller. 



Uab. — Throughout temperate North America. 



Apparently nearly as abundant on the Pacific as on the Atlantic coast of the United States, 

 but evidently migrating in the summer further north on the former than on the latter. This 

 occurs, however, in numerous species of birds. 



One specimen, obtained by George Suckley, M. D., at Fort Steilacoom, Puget Sound, 

 Washington Territory, is that of a young bird, and is of especial interest, showing that this 

 species rears its young and is quite at home at the latitude of that locality. There are no 



