THE CUBAN SPARROW HAWK. 315 



Cuba in the spring of 1859, measures 32.5 by 27 millimetres. Two others, 

 collected by Dr. Jcfui Gundlach in the spring of iSGo, measures 33 b}- 29 

 and 32 by 29 millimetres. None are figured. 



io8. Polyborus cheriway (Jacquin). 



Audubon's caracara. 



Falco cheriway Jacquin, Beitriige zur Geschichte der Vogel, 1784, 17, Tab. 4. 

 Polyhonts cheriway Cabanis, in Scliombui'gk, Guiana, iii, 1848, 741. 



(B 45, C 303, R 423, C 535, U 3(J-<!.) 



Geographical range : Southern border of the United States (Florida, Te.xas. 

 Arizona), and Lower California ; south to northern South America, Ecuador, and 

 Guiana. 



This handsome bird, better known throughout its range as the Cara- 

 cara Eagle, is generally a constant resident wherever found ; this at least is 

 the case in southern Texas, and also in southern Arizona, where I saw 

 them in midwinter as well as during the summer months. It breeds in 

 these localities,' and also in Florida and Lower California. 



Capt. B. F. Goss, who had excellent opportunities to observe these 

 birds at various points on the Gulf coast of southern Texas, writes me as 

 follows: "I found this bird quite abundant in the timber along the Gulf 

 coast. Their nests were generally found in o})en spots in the woods, where 

 the trees were low and scattering, and only a very few resorted to the 

 heavier forests to breed. The earliest date on which I found them nesting- 

 was March 4, the latest on April 21. The nests were generallv placed in 

 low trees from 5 to 27 feet up, usually from 8 to 12 feet from the ground. 

 These were largely, some of them wholly, composed of broom weed, an 

 annual shrul) growing about 2 feet high. This plant remains standing* 

 throiigh the winter and dies, and the twigs are easilv broken off in the 

 sjjring. This material was piled up in a slovenl}^ ^vay in a crotch or on 

 a horizontal liml), until a rough nest was formed; .some of these were quite 

 deeply hollowed, others slightlv so ; they looked unshapely, and many were 

 insecurely placed, as I found several tilted over, so that the eggs had 

 rolled out. 



"Ih'owu Pelicans bred in great numbers on an island in the Laguna 

 Madre, off the coast of Texas. When these birds were returning to their 

 breeding ground, with pouches filled with fish, the Cai'acaras would attack 

 them until they disgorged, and then alight and devour their stolen prey. 

 These attacks were made from above, b}' suddenly darting down on the l'(di- 

 cans with shrill screams and striking at them with their talons. I am not 

 certain as to whether they caught any of tlieir prey l)efori' it reacheil flie 

 ground. I saw this maneuver repeated a numl)er of times by a pair of 

 these birds that nested on this island and bv others that came from the 



