THE OSPEEY. 



149 



mere speck is unapproached by any bird that I 

 know. 



47. Sparrow Hawk. (Falco sparverius). 

 Often seen, and usually in pairs. 



48. Caracara. {Polyborus cheriway). 

 Several individuals seen nearly every day. 



but adult males were far less numerous than 

 female birds. Usually very tame. I have 

 walked under a tree while one sat not ten feet 

 above me. Often seen eating' maggots about 

 dead cows, and also frequents burnt timber 

 and prairie for the dead animals they may con- 

 tain. The long' legs, upright position when 

 standing-, walking or running, and the general 

 appearance of the bird recalls to mind the usual 

 pictures of the Secretary bird (Serpentarius). 

 Indeed, the cut of this last bird given by Newt' >n 

 (Dictionary of Birds, p. 823) with slight change-, 

 would answer remarkably well for the Caracara 

 or Mexican Buzzard as it is called in the Kis- 

 simmee Valley. Specimens of full plumaged 

 males taken March 18, were just beginning to 

 moult, the two central feathers of the tail and 

 the fifth primary being the first to be renewed 

 together with a few throat feathers. No moult- 

 ing change was noticeable in any specimens "1 

 female birds. In these last, the central tail 

 feathers are excessively worn and the generally 

 bleached and worn appearance of the plumage 

 is in great contrast with the much less faded 

 and worn feathers of the males. 



49. American Fish Hawk. (Pandicn caroli- 

 nensis). 



Occasionally seen. 



50. Florida Barred Owl. [Syrniutn nebu- 

 losnm alleni ). 



Generally in pairs in every large hammock. 

 Young birds leaving the nest were seen March 

 23. 



51. Florida Screech Owl. {Megascops asio 

 floridanus). 



The only bird seen, I shot at Lake Arbuckle 

 on March 8. Its note was a mere trembling 

 effort, and the specimen was intermediate in 

 coloration. Measurement 8.12 long by 21.50 in 

 extent. 



52. Ground Owl. [Speotyto floridana). 

 Quite numerous in some places between the 



prairie edge and the ponds and sloughs; also 

 found on the higher portions of the prairies 

 where the burnings have denuded the ground of 

 vegetation. These birds are always known as 

 Ground Owls in the Kissimmee Valley. Two 

 malts measured respectively 8.50 by 23.37 and 

 8.87 by 23.50. Three females were 8.75 by 23.75, 

 8.50 by 23.25 and 8.87 by 23.50. 



I cannot understand the practice that makes 

 this bird subspecific to .S\ cunicularia of South 



America. It has also no connection with .S" 

 hypogaea of Western North America nor is there 

 any evidence that it ever did have. Aside from 

 the longer tarsi, larger bill and whiter colora- 

 tion of the Florida bird as compared with the 

 \\ .stern, there is one character which serves at 

 once to distinguish the two. In a very large 

 series the under wing coverts and axillaries of 

 hypogaea are immaculate, or nearly so, except 

 for a large dark blotch at the proximafends of 

 the uppermost primary coverts.' In a few speci- 

 mens there is a darkish central shaft streak and 

 occasionally a slight dusky blotch on the vanes 

 (the retention of these dark traces being evi- 

 dently due to immaturity and therefore rever- 

 sional I. In floridana a very large series shows a 

 decided difference. Here all the under coverts 

 and the axillaries are crossed with from one to 

 several decided but variously shaped brownish 

 blotches or bands thus giving the under wing a 

 much different appearance than in hypogaea or 

 cunicularia a difference similar to" the West 

 Indian 5. atnaura. North American birds are 

 distinguished at a glance bv the coloration of 

 the under wing coverts. Their habits are given 

 in greater detail in the "Auk" 18%, p. 96. 



53. Kingfisher. iCeryle alcyon). 

 A few seen on the Kissimmee. 



54. Southern Hairy Woodpecker. [Dryo- 

 bates villosus audubonii). 



Rare, saw and heard two. 



55. Downy Woodpecker. {Dryobates fiubes- 

 cens). 



Saw but one, which was collected. 



56. Red-cockaded Woodpecker. [Dryobates 

 h<<i rah st. 



Fairly common in small noisy flocks in the 

 pines 1 . 



57. Pii.eated Woodpecker. (Ceophloeus 

 pilealus). 



But few seen. As compared with Maryland 

 and Virginia specimens all Florida birds that 

 I have seen, besides being smaller, have much 

 less white at the base of the central tail feathers. 



58. Red bellied Woodpecker. {Melanerpes 

 carolinus ). 



Fairly common in the hammocks and pines. 



59. Yellow-shafted Flicker. {Colaptes 



a lira In I I. 



Common just north of Orange Hammock at 

 the edge of the pines, and apparentlv feeding 

 always on the ground. 



60. Chuck-will's Widow. {Antrostomus 

 i arolinensin). 



Saw and heard one at Orange Hammock, 

 another at Fort Gardiner. 



(To be Continued.) 



