Mr. R. B. Sharpens Catalogue of Accipitres. 595 



geographical variatioos do exist which have been recognized 

 by ornithologists of eminence as sufficient grounds for sub- 

 specific distinction. The Osprey of America was thus sepa- 

 rated by Graelin from that of the Old World under the spe- 

 cific titles of " carolinensis "^ ; and the Australasian Osprey at 

 a later period received from Mr. Gould the distinctive appel- 

 lation of " leucocephalus "■\ ; this latter race is regarded by 

 Mr. Sharpe as a valid subspecies^ which the former is not. 



American Ospreys, on an average of specimens, show less 

 brown on the upper part of the breast than those of the Old 

 World ; and in some American adults the upper breast is a 

 pure white without any admixture of brown ; this immaculate 

 breast I have never seen in any non-American specimens, 

 though some examples from the Old World are so sparingly 

 marked with brown on the upper breast as to approach in 

 this respect the white-breasted individuals of America. 



Mr. Ridgway, who refers to this circumstance in his article 

 upon the Osprey in ' The Land Birds of North America/ 

 vol. iii. p. 184, has also the following remark: ''In all the 

 American specimens of both sexes the shafts of the tail-fea- 

 thers are continuously white, whilst in European specimens 

 they are clear white only at the roots or on the basal half." 

 Some Old- World Ospreys, however, are very similar to the 

 American in this respect, whilst in some other non- American 

 specimens the shafts of the rectrices are entirely brown. 



The Australasian race, to which the title of leucocephalus 

 has been assigned, seems to me not to be separable from P. 

 haliaetus by any constant character except its smaller size ; 

 and even this is a somewhat variable characteristic. 



The Osprey appears to be more abundant, and probably on 

 that account more gregarious, in some parts of North America, 

 than it is elsewhere. The authors of the 'Land Birds of 

 North America ' J remark, " in some localities the Fish-hawk 



found in the articles on tliis species in Newton's edition of Yarrell's 

 ' British Birds,' and in Dresser's ' Birds of Europe.' 



* Vide ' Systema Naturae,' vol. i. p. 263. 



t Vide P. Z. S. 1837, p. 138. 



t Vide vol. iii. pp. 187, 189. 



