440 



BinDS OF ILLINOIS. 



bruwnlsh drab, narrowly tlppej with wliltt-. nml cronBod with Bov<»n(onefoni>piilo<li roe- 

 uliir linmJa of dusky; Innor woh? almost wholly whlti-. t hi- Idin'k tmnil« slmrply didlncd 

 nnd .continuous; shafts iMillridy white. Ground rulor of tin- h.'ad. ni-i-k.and i-ntlrf lower 

 parts pun- whlti-: a hroacl si ripe from I lie eye back oeross upper I'dce of the ear-coverts to 

 the oeelput brownish blaek : white head also sparsely streaked with I ilaeklsh. these streaks 

 sutTusIucand predonilnatini; medially; nape faintly tinned with oi-hraoi-ous. and sparsely 

 streaked. Urea.st with hirce eordate spots of brown, fainter than that of the baek. n 

 median spot on eaeh feather, the shaft blaek : rest of lower parts Inunaeulate. LInine of 

 tlie wine white, strontly tinijed with ochraeeous; the brown of the outer surfai'e on- 

 eroaehlnB broadly over the odKo. Under primary eoverts with broad tnmsverse s|)ots 

 or bars; umler surfaeo of primaries (frayish white anterior to the eniari;inatlon. Irn-cu- 

 larly mottled with (irayish; axlllars Immaeulate. WInK formula. *=3. 4-1. S. Wlnc.an.aO; 

 tail. H.*!; eulmen. 1.3.'.; tarsus. l.U>-2.15: middh' toe. 1.90; outer.l.TS; Inner, 1.4«: posterior, 

 l.l.l; (losterlor outer and Inner elaws of erjual loneth. eaeh mcosurius 1.20 (chord); 

 nilildle.1.15. "Iris yellow; feet creonish yellow." 



Ailull tiialf. Similar, but upper parts uniform dusky brown, nnd the breu^t very 

 sIlKhlly (often not at all) spotted. 



Ailull /finalf (So. 290. Carlisle. Pn.. .\iiril 17. 1S41. S. F. Baird). Similar to adult male 

 but breast rather more spotted. WiiiK formula. 3. 2-4-1. 5. Wing. 20.50; tall. 9.15; eulmen. 

 1.3i; tarsus,2.I5; middle toe. 1.70. 



The specimens described are those having the breast most dis- 

 tinctly spotted. Many others have the breast immacukte, tliis 

 being the rule in the Amei-iean bird, especially the adult male. 

 Specimens vary, in length of wing from 17.50 to 20.50. Contrary 

 to the usual rule in this familj', the male appears to exceed the 

 female in size. 



Measurements. 



Second and third quills longest; first shorter or longer thon llfth. 



The Fish Hawk is a common species on all the larger waters of 

 the State. It is a summer resident, though in the southern por- 

 tion individuals have occasionally been observed during mild winters. 

 From Historii of Xorth Amerieaii liinh, Vol. III., pp. 188, 180, we 

 (luote tlie following respecting the habits of this species : 



"I can find no instance on record where our Fish Hawk has been 

 known to molest any other bird or land animal, to feed on them, 

 though their swiftness of flight, and their strength of wing and 

 claws, would seem to render such attacks quite easy. On their 

 arrival the Fish Hawks are said to combine, and to wage a deter- 

 mined war upon the White-headed Eagles, often succeeding by their 

 numbers and courage in driving them temporarily from their haunts. 



