ZOOLOGY. 153 



like in its habits a truly mortifying character to be assumed by the representative of our 

 national emblem. 



The eyries of this bird are frequently found throughout Oregon, and are bred in, during 

 successive seasons, year after year, as stated by various authors. 



At times the settlers speak of seeing very large eagles larger, they say, than the bald 

 eagle. Perhaps these may be specimens of the pelagicus or Waslimytonii. I have not yet 

 been lucky enough to secure a specimen of either. 



Captain Burns, of Port Discovery, (Puget Sound,) informed me that in the spring of 1856 

 he caught a young bird of this species, which he called, in common with the other settlers, a 

 &quot;gray eagle.&quot; This was reared as a pet, and became quite tame. At times the captain would 

 take the young eagle on coasting voyages along Puget Sound. The bird would frequently 

 leave the vessel on short excursions, generally, however, returning to it again, even when the 

 schooner in sailing had altered its position several miles, and being never deceived so as to fly 

 on board of other small craft, although many would be near by. Sometimes, however, the 

 eagle \vould prefer returning to Captain B. s house, on the bay of Port Discovery. At the 

 time I w r as informed of this the bird had lived Avith the Captain nearly a year, and manifested 

 no desire to seek another home. About the house he Avas quite a terror to the pigs and small 

 dogs, from which he remorselessly took any carrion or other delicacy which suited his palate. S. 



PANDION C AROLINENSIS, Bonaparte. 



The Fisli Hawk ; The American Osprey. 



Fako carollnensis, GM. Syet. Nat. I, 263, (1783.) 



Aquila piscatrix, VIEILL. Ois. d Am. Sept. I, 29, (1807.) 



Pandion americanus, VIEILL. Gal. Oie. I, 33, (1825.) 



Fako haliaetw, LINN. WILSON, Am. Orn. V, 14. 



Ftdco kaiiadas, LISN. AUD. Orn. Biog I, 415. 



Pandion carotineniis, BOKAP. Eur. and Am. Birds, p 3. 



Pandion carolinensis, (Gi.) BAIRD & C \sn.v, Gen. Rep. Birds, p 44. 



FIGURES. Catesby s Carolina, I, pi. 2; Vieill. Ois. d Am. Sept. I, pi. 4; Wilson, Am. Orn. V, 37; And. B. of Am. pi. 81: 

 oct. ed. I, pi. 15 ; Nat. Hist. New York, Bird*, pi. 8, fig. 18. 



Sr. CH. Head and entire under parts white; stripe through the eye, top of head, and upper parts, deep brown; tail with 

 about eight bands of blackish-brown ; breast with numerous cordate and circular pale brownish spots. 



Female: length, about 25 ; wing, 21 ; tail, 10J inches. 



Male: length, 22^23; wing, 19; tail, 10 inches. 



Young: above with pale tips to feathers; more numerous and darker spots on breast. 



The fish haAvk is common along the coast, arriving at Puget Sound by the middle of April, 

 and building on dead trees near there and near the mouth of the Columbia river. I never 

 saAV them on the upper part of that river, though they probably ascend Avith the fall salmon. 

 I did not see the eagle rob this hawjc, though abundant in the same places. The reason may 

 be that it can obtain plenty of food more honestly and with less trouble in that country. This 

 hawk never troubles the farmers, and is generally unmolested, except by idlers and naturalists. C. 



A specimen of the osprey was shot at Steilacoorn, by Mr. George Gibbs, and presented to 

 me. I have seen it also in the Rocky mountains. No. 5837 (531) Fort SteilacQQm., October 2, 

 1856 j length, 22; extent, 62|; Aving, 19 inches. S. 



20 Q 



