PARADISE KEY SAEFORD. 



421 



snake bird (Anhinga anhinga), quite common in trees near the 

 slough of the park. This bird, like a submarine, dives with the 

 greatest ease and pursues its prey beneath the surface of the water. 1 

 There is little open water to attract ducks, but the park warden has 

 every year observed, in the vicinity of the park, a few blue-winged 

 teal, mallard, and Florida ducks (Anas fulvigula), the latter remain- 

 ing throughout the entire year. 



The turkey vulture commonly seen sailing in the sky above Para- 

 dise Key is Gathartes aura that ranges over North and South Amer- 

 ica, called Tzopilotl by the Aztecs and Gallinazo by Spanish Ameri- 

 cans. Specimens of it were caught by 

 Mr. A. H. Howell in traps set on the 

 marshes for raccoons. 



Among the birds of prey are the 

 Everglade kite (Rostrhamus sociabi- 

 lis), which feeds upon the large 

 marsh snail already described and is 

 known locally as the snail hawk; the 

 swallow-tailed kite (Elanoides forfi- 

 catus), with a deeply forked tail, 

 white under parts and head and blu- 

 ish black back, a bird quite common 

 near the park and ranging to Central 

 and South America; and the Missis- 

 sippi kite (Ictinia inississippiensis) . 

 The hawks include the marsh hawk, 

 sharp-shinned hawk, red-tailed hawk, 

 Florida sparrow hawk, the osprey 

 (fig. 28), and the Florida red-shoul- 

 dered hawk. Many osprey s (Pandion 

 haliaetus carolinensis) were observed by the writer flying over 

 the Everglades between Paradise Key and Camp Jackson, occa- 

 sionally darting down into the flooded grassy prairie and emerg- 

 ing with a good-sized fish in their talons. This species also occurs in 

 Porto Rico, where it frequents both the coast and inland swampy 

 lagoons. 2 On that island it is sometimes called aguila (eagle) on ac- 

 count of its noble eagle-like appearance. A magnificent specimen 

 of the handsome red-shouldered hawk (Buteo Uneatus alleni) perched 

 habitually on the limb of a tree in front of the lodge during the 

 visit of the writer to the park. From its station it pounced upon 

 its prey, principally insects, lizards, and frogs, in the clearing 

 before the building. It also catches snakes. The park warden 



1 The writer is greatly indebted to Mr. Francis Harper, of the U. S. Biological Survey, 

 for notes on the water birds of Florida. 



3 See the interesting report of Mr. Alexander Wetmore on the birds of Porto Rico, 

 U. S. Dept. Agr. Bull. 326. 1914. 



65133°— sm 1917 28 



Fig. 28. — Osprey., Pandion haliaetus 

 carolinensis, which catches fish 



IN THE FLOODED EVERGLADES. 



