544 THE AMERICAN OSPREY. 
of experts, however, is overwhelmingly in favor of the Sparrow Hawk. 
He performs an invaluable service to the farmer, and deserves rigid protec- 
tion everywhere. 
No. 220. 
AMERICAN OSPREY. 
“ay ©. U. No. 364. Pandion haliatus carolinensis (Gmel.). 
Synonym.—Fisu Hawk. 
Description.—-1du/t male: Underparts plain fuscous; tip of wing blackish; 
tail crossed by six or eight dusky bands; head white. heavily but narrowly streaked 
with blackish; an irregular dusky band proceeding backward from eye; feathers 
of occiput loosely ruffled, or presenting a crested appearance; underparts white, 
sometimes rufous-spotted on breast, but usually immaculate; lining of wing mot- 
tled—white and fuscous near edge, remainder white or buffy, dusky-barred dis- 
tally; bill and claws black; cere and base of bill bluish black; feet bluish gray; 
iris yellow and red. Adult female: Similar but breast heavily marked with yel- 
lowish brown or fuscous. Jmmature: Like adult, but feathers of upperparts 
bordered terminally with white or buffy. The same distinction obtains between 
the sexes as in case of adults. Length 21.00-25.00 (533.4-635) ; wing 17.00-20.50 
(431.8-520.7) ; tail 7.00-10.00 (177.8-254); culmen 1.20-1.40 ( 30.5-35.6). 
Recognition Marks.—Brant size; extensive white contrasting with fuscous, 
distinctive; labored flight; river- and lake-haunting ways. 
Nesting.—Nest: an immense mass of sticks, broad-topped, lined centrally 
with bark-strips and soft materials; placed on top of trees of various heights, or 
on isolated rocks of rivers, etc. Eggs: 2-4, dull or buffy white, heavily spotted, 
blotched, or overspread with chocolate; rarely almost or quite unmarked. Avy. 
size, 2.45 x 1.81 (62.2x 46). Season: May 1-20; one brood. 
General Range.—North America from Hudson Bay and Alaska south to 
the West Indies and northern South America. Breeds thruout its North Ameri- 
can range. 
Range in Washington.—Summer resident east and west of the Cascades 
along major streams and near suitable bodies of water. One winter record, 
American Lake, January 26, 1907. 
Authorities.—| Lewis and Clark, Hist. Ex. (1814) Ed. Biddle: Coues. Vol. 
II. p. 189.] Pandion carolinensis, Gmelin, Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 1858, 
pp. 44,45. TI. C&S. L'. Rh: Dt.’Sr. Ra. Kk. J.B. E: 
Specimens.—(U. of W.) P. Prov. B. BN. 
WHETHER or not fish is proper brain food depends, as some one has 
wittily remarked, “more upon the brain than it does upon the fish.” An 
exclusive diet of fish has not made the Fish Hawks either brainy or doughty. 
We need not be troubled on the latter score tho, for in a family where prowess 
