RAPTORES. 233 



out all the King-Birds from our country, though exactly fitted 

 for that order of knights which the French call Chevaliers 

 d' Industrie." 



WASHINGTON SEA-EAGLE, H. WasJiingtonii, is a new species 

 first observed by Audubon in 1814, who named this " magnificent 

 bird," the largest of the eagles, after Washington, the "father of 

 his country." 



The HARPY EAGLE, Harpuia, (Gr. harpuia, from harpazo, to 

 seize,) destructor, (Lat. destroyer,) is one of the " Short- Winged " 

 Eagles found in New Mexico, New Granada, and Guiana. In 

 size and powers of body it equals the Golden Eagle. (See Chart.) 

 The beak above is convex ; the upper mandible is slightly notched, 

 somewhat like the True Falcons ; the tarsi are lengthened, very 

 strong and feathered at the base. When full grown, this bird's 

 head has a thick downy plumage, of a light slaty-gray color. 

 On the back part of the head, there is a crest of dull black 

 feathers, which ordinarily is slightly raised above the level of 

 the feathers on the back of the neck, but on any sudden excite- 

 ment is elevated at right angles to them ; the back and wings 

 are black ; the under surface is pure white ; the tail has four 

 transverse black bands, alternated with whitish, or ash-colored 

 spaces. (See fig. on Chart.) In the nakedness of its legs, it 

 approaches the Sea-Eagles. 



The Harpy is a solitary bird, frequenting the thickest forests, 

 where it feeds upon the sloths ; it also preys upon fawns and 

 young quadrupedvS. One of these birds, taken near the mouth 

 of the river Amazon, while on its passage to England, is said to 

 have destroyed and eaten a King of the Vultures. After its ar- 

 rival, a cat was put into its cage, and the eagle, with one blow 

 of its immense foot, broke its back. 



The BRAZILIAN CARACARA EAGLE, Poly'borus or Aquila Bra- 

 ziliensis, differs from the Harpy Eagle in having more slender 

 and lengthened tarsi, and in the comparative weakness of its 

 toes. It is of the size of the common Kite, and has a tail nine 

 inches long. It is all over covered with dusky and blackish 

 feathers ; hence is called by some morphnus, (Gr. morpTinos, ob- 

 scure, or dark.) For its food it seems content with any animal 

 substance ; it is by no means shy, but is seldom attacked, as it 

 rarely molests domestic poultry. 



The FISH HAWK, or BALD BUZZARD, Pandion, (Gr. proper 

 name,) halietus, has very long and curved talons, the outermost 

 versatile, or capable of being revolved. These are well adapted 

 for holding this bird's slippery fishy food. As already said, 

 it has, in the Bald Eagle, a persecutor that often snatches from it 

 ;f ~ hard-earned prey. (Plate X, fig. 3, b.) The nlum -* 



