524 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



THE BUZZARD 



By a remarkable turn of events, the Turkey \'ulture or "Turkey 

 Buzzard" (see Fig. 7) wbicli was once among the most carefully 

 protected of birds, has now become an outcast, seeking a friend. 

 This is because science has revealed the fact that this bird, which 

 feeds solely upon dead animal material, may carry the germs which 

 cause death, and spread them to other parts of the country, thus 

 facilitating the spread of disease. In the streets of some of the 

 Southern cities, such as Charlestown, S. C, the Turkey Buzzard 

 can be seen as much at home as "chickens in our gardens." They are 

 there protected because of their value as scavengers, and in the 

 economy of Nature we certainly believe them to be properly recom- 

 mended. If they are so serious in effects as to justify extermination, 

 this should be the sentence ; but we believe it far better for our 

 State to pass a law providing for the proper and immediate dis- 

 posal of the bodies of all domesticated animals that die from con- 

 tagious or infectious diseases, rather than for the destruction of the 

 Turkey Buzzard, because he may, perchance, in rare instances, spread 

 such disease when performing his natural duties as scavenger and 

 thus filling its place in an infinite plan. Especially is this true 

 when we remember that germs of such diseases are liable to spread by 

 several other means, such as contaminated water, crows, dogs, winds, 

 etc. As the term "Buzzard" is accurately applied to the Hawks 

 of the genus, Buteo, are wondering why our State does not change 

 the name to "The Turkey Buzzard," which belongs to the family of 

 Vultures, if this is the bird that it was intended to legislate against? 



THE OSPREY 



The Osprey or Fish Hawk is rare in this State, but rather common 

 along the Atlantic Coast. (See Fig. 8). We wonder how many 

 farmers in Pennsylvania ever saw a live Osprey? Certainly but few. 

 We are also wondering how many Pennsylvania fishes were destroyed 

 during the past year by the Osprey. Certainly far fewer than were 

 kept from coming up-stream by means of the McCall's Ferry Dam, 

 with its geometrical puzzle called a "fishway." We are wondering 

 if it is advisable to legislate against a bird so interesting, and also 

 so rare, and so absolutely innocuous to the farmer as the Osprey or 

 Fish Hawk ! 



SHARP SHINNED HAWK 



Among the. hawks on the black list are the Sharp-shinned (see 

 Fig. 9) which is sometimes wrongly called the "Pigeon Hawk;" the 

 "Cooper's Hawk;" sometiuies called the "Chicken Hawk;" the Gos- 

 hawk, which is sometimes called the "Blue Hen Hawk ;" the Duck 

 Hawk, and the Pigeon Hawk. Among the hawks protected by law 

 are the Sparrow Hawk, Kites, Marsh Harrier, Rod-tailed Hawk, 

 commonly called the "Hen Hawk," Red-shouldered Hawk or Buzzard, 

 Sw^ainson Hawk, the Broad-winged Hawk, and the Hough-legged 

 Hawk. Among these are the most common of the larger hawks in 

 Pennsylvania. 



