oOfI POLYBORUS THARUS 



The Ospreys breed early in Febrniiry on the St. John's River, phxcing the nest in 

 high cypress trees, and I also found fresh eggs about the middle of jMarch at Clear Water 

 Harbor on the west coast. The l)irils in these sections, were very unsuspicious, allowing 

 one to pass directly under the nest without flying, and in one instance, my assistant was 

 half-way up a tree in which a bird had her domicile, before she started. On the Keys, 

 where the nests are frequently placed in low mangroves but a few feet from the ground, 

 the birds breed earlier. Further north, where the Ospreys are migratory, they do not 

 breed until the middle of April. 



FAMILY VIII. rOr.YBORIM^. THE VULTURE EAGLES. 



Sternum, more than twice as long as wide and the scapular prcccss of the cnracoids raccts 

 the furcula. Marginal indentations, two, inclosed. 



This family, in our section, is represented by a single genus. The bill is strong, well- 

 curved, with the cutting edge of upper mandible nearly straight. . Lores and space around 

 eye, naked. The tarsus is long and only slightly feathered in front. The toes are weak 

 and the claws are small. 



GENUS I. POLYBORUS. THE CARACAIiAS. 



Gem. Cii. Bill, rather long, strong, and locll-curved, with the cutting edge of upper mandible slightly lobed. Tail and 

 wings, long, the former is rounded and the latter arc pointed. 



The trachea is a little flattened throughout. The sternn-tvachealis is short and stout, having its origin quite near tlie 

 larynx, and there is a slender bronohialis extending over all the half rings, but there are no other laryngeal muscles. The 

 ■walls of the oesophagus are thin; this is at first nearly straight, then is dilated into a crop, and is again straight and opens 

 into a large sized jiroventriculus with numerous small, simple, closely packed, oval glands arranged in a zonular Iwnd which 

 measures 1- 15. The stomach is of a medium size, somewh.at globular in form, with thin hut soft walls, and is lined with a 

 soft membrane. The fold of the duodenum is long, and is bent upon itself several tiuies. The cceoa, when present, are 

 very small. The spleen is a spherical body lying on the iiroventriculus. The left lobe of the liver is slightly larger that 

 the right. There is but one species found within our limits. 



POLYBORUS THAKUS. 



Caracara Eagle. 



Polyhorus tlinrus Cass., \\U. I: 1854, 11."!. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Si'. Cn. Form , not very robust. Size, medium. Tongue, long, fleshy, horny at tip, where it is rounded and bifid. 

 Occipital feathers, ehmgated. Space on breast, naked. Sexes, similar in color. 



Color. Adult. xVbove, dnrk-brown everywhere, excepting u|)per tail ojverts which are yellowish-white, banded v.Nth 

 dusky. Tail, white at base, black at tip, and crossed with numerous bands of the same color. Concealed patch on hind 

 neck, brownis''-j'nllow. Wings, more or less banded with white. Beneath, everjn,vhere white, witli a broad bund acnss 

 abdomen and tilila, dark-brown, and the breast is transversely banded with fine lines of black. 



Young. Simiav to the adult but duller brown above which color also extends over the entire lower purti :>ns. T o 

 feathers ab,;ve are edged with whiti-b and chose beneath are longitudinally streaked with yell iwish-wliitc. Tnil, ue o ly 

 widto, banded with ashy-brown and tipped with darl;-brown. Bill, bluish, cere,Ted, feet, yell av, and iris, lirown, in all 

 stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Siicc'moas appear to present some variation of plumage but may be readily known by the form and colors as described. 

 Distributed as a constant resident in Mexico and northward into the United State as far as Aiizona and eastward into 

 Louisiiiua and Horida. 



