20S PANDION HALIAETl'S. 



ill front, aiul is covered with small, circular scales. The toes are stout, with strong, well- 

 curved claws. The wings and tail are long and pointed 



GENUS 1. PANniON. TUB FISH HAWKS. 



(!e\". Cn. Posterior marrji7i of sternum, hclivcen indrnlatioiis, not rovrulcil hut cut aivai/ as far as tluhrrl. Coraroii/s, 

 short K^'capula, slender and ronsidrrah/i/ rounded at base. 



The .'itevno-tracliealis i^ thick and there is a .small Ijronchiali-;, hut no other Ial•yng,^aI muscles. The tyinpaniforin iiicm- 

 brane is present and although tliere is a thin i;s Iran-^vcrsale, it does not support a seir.iiunar memliranc. Tl:e trat-liea is a 

 little flattened th.roug!;out. Tlie icsophagus is dilated near the middle into quite a large crop, and the -walls are usunlly 

 Tory thill. The proventricuhis is very largv, with th<-- walU qinto thick, and coiiip(,sed ol' small, simple, eylindrieal glands, 

 arranged in a zonular band which measures from 1'50 to IGO in width, but in four py:amid-shaped ridges. Thi^ sloniach 

 is small, somewhat globular in firm, with very thin walls, lined with a soft membrane which emits au oily fluid. Tlie fold 

 of the duodenum is bng, measuring S'OO. and incloses a small, irregularly foi'med ]rancreas which only occupies a short jior- 

 tion of its entire length, near stomach. Tlie intestines arc very small, only luea'urirg "15 in diameter, but are very ling, 

 mensuring 117'0U in length. Cooea, very short but thick. Koth lobes of the liver are short, thick, and nearly equal in 

 size. Tlie heart is large and trinngular in firm. The spleen is an oval-shaped body situated on the proventriculus. There 

 is but one species within our limits. 



PANDION HALIAETUS. 



Osprey. Fish Hawk. 

 Pandiaahaliaelus Ccv, R. A., I; 1817, 31G. 



DESCIiirTION. 



Sp. Cn. Form, robust. Size, large. Stprnum, stout, with the tip of keel rounded. Tongue, thick, fleshy, horny at 

 tip wliicli is rounded but not bifid, bluish in color. 



Color. Adult. Sides of head a.nd entire under parts, white, with numerous, circular spots of yellowish-brown in a 

 band acro-ss the breast. Line through eye, top of head, and the remaining upiicr portions, ver_y dark-brown, with the tail 

 barred with dusky. 



Young. Quite similar to the adult, but with every feather edged with whitish, and the under portions are slightly 

 tinged with yellowish. 



Younrj of the year. Not unlike the young but showing a strong overwashing of deep buff on the occiput and many of 

 the feathers above are tinged with it. 



Nestlinys. Are, at flrst, covered with a whitish down, then gradually assume the dress last described. Iris, reddish- 

 brown, cere and feet, bluish, and bill, brown, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



There is a little variation in plumage, some specimens being darker or lighter than the type. This species mny be rec- 

 ognized by the peculiar scaling of the ta"sus, form and colors as described. Distributed, as a summer resident, through- 

 out North America, wintering in the more southern iMrtions. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of female specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 23'2.5; stretch, 67'7.'); win!t,20-(in; 

 tail, 7'.;0; bill, 150; tarsus. 2-!5. Longe-t specimen, 24'50; greatest extent of wing, 70'.50; longest wing, 21-0(1; tail, il-.W; 

 bill, TOO; t.irsus,230. Shortest specimen, 22 CO; smallest extent of wing, G5-50; sliortest wing, l!)-0(i; tail, 8 5(1; liill, MO; 

 tarsus, 2 00. 



Aveiage measurement; of male speci-.aens from Eastern North America. Length, 21-25; stretch, rr>-r;n; r.ing. 18-00; 

 (nil, 8-30; bill, 1-11; tardus, 212. Longesf 'specimen, 22-.50; greatest extent of wing, 66-00; long-'st wing. 23-00; tail, SdO; 

 bill, l-.W; tar.sus, 2-25. Shortest specimen, 21-(l0; smallest extent of wing, 64-00;. shortest wing, lO'OO; tail.SOO; liill, 1-33; 

 tarsus, 2-00. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in trees and liuslics, or occasionally on the ground. They are bulky structures, composed of sticks and 

 weeds, arranged in a compact manner. 



Ec/i/s, i ree or f lur in ntimber, varying from elliptical to oval in form, yellowish-white or crenmy in color, spotted 

 and bloto!:od with reddish-brown and umber, so thickly on the larger end as to completely ob.scuro the ground . olor, and 

 "ometiaies the entire egg is thus cuvereJ. Dimensions, from 1-68x2-21 to 1-85 x2-58. 



