or observed in the Republic of Honduras, ^'c. 223 



higli up in the air^ or feeding on filth and offal in the streets. 

 These birds are so tame that one might at times kill them with 

 a stick. I have seen thirty or forty of them together feeding 

 on a carcase, and have approached within a few feet without 

 disturbing them. This Vulture is also very common in Charles- 

 ton, South Carolina, where I have seen them in numbers, hop- 

 j)ing on the butchers' stalls in the market, and picking up bits 

 of meat. They abound in all parts of Central America that 

 I have visited, and are fond of sitting on the houses, or on 

 trees, with their wings expanded to the warmth of the sun. 

 Wilson's account of this, and the preceding species, is very good 

 and accurate, and cannot be improved upon. 



56. Caracara Eagle. [Pohjborus tharus.) 



Is very common, and generally seen singly or in pairs; is 

 tame, and easily shot. They are very low-caste birds, and feed 

 on carrion, offal, &c. One I shot was at the time engaged in 

 scratching among some half- dried cow-dung. 



57. Crested SpiZAJiTus. {Spizaetus ornatus.) 



I only saw this bird on one occasion, in the depth of the 

 forest between Potrerillos and San Pedro. It was perched on 

 the branch of a lofty tree, and I shot it with ease*. 



58. CuRASSOW Hawk. [Ibycter americanus.) 



The only time I observed this species was at Taulevi, where I 

 met with five or six together ; but Mr. Edwards saw others after 

 iny departure from the country. As this bird has no English 

 name that I am aware of, I call it the ' Curassow Hawk,' from its 

 resemblance to the Curassows, and to commemorate the following- 

 adventure : — While at Taulevi, I was out in the evening with 

 my gun, and was returning home with a male Trogon melanoce- 

 phalus, which I had shot, when I met Mr. Edwards, who pointed 

 out to me some large birds sitting on a tree overhanging a Plan- 

 tain patch, which he said were Curassows. There were five of 

 them ; and they certainly did look like Curassows in flight and 



* In the list of Mr. Taylor's collection, given in ' Proc. Zool. Soc." 

 1858 (p. .360), this SpizuHus was wrongly named, having been referred to 

 S. fyranmis, which latter si)ecies, however, does likewise occur in Central 

 America. — Eu. 



