Scott on Birds observed in Florida. I 7 



ient tree or stub rises out of the saw-grass the ground is literally 

 heaped with the empty shells of these unfortunate snails. The 

 birds were especially numerous throughout the month of March 

 but had not. I think, nested before my departure, March 25, as 

 they were still associated in flocks or companies. 



During January and February, 1S76. I many times noted indi- 

 viduals of the Mississippi Kite {Icthiia mississipfiiensis) , but 

 as they were very wary I was unable to obtain specimens. The 

 Swallow-tailed Kite (JVauclerus fit rent us) I found common at 

 Panasofkee Lake during the last week of February and through- 

 out March. These three species, met with so commonly at 

 the point indicated, I did not even see on the coast, though cer- 

 tain regions visited some ten miles inland seemed admirably 

 adapted for at least the two latter. R. sociabilis* it maybe well 

 to remark, impresses me as eminently an aquatic species. I 

 found it always in the immediate vicinity of the lake and gener- 

 ally. most common about certain bays where the water was shal- 

 low and the snails particularly abundant. Although there were 

 extensive marshes along the river, and although at points where 

 it widened out the water was shallow and the snails present 

 (at a point hardly -two miles from the lake), this species was 

 never there observed by me hunting over the land at any point, 

 nor even along the river. 



The Duck Hawk (Falco peregrinns) was a rather common 

 species during the first two months of my stay at Panasofkee 

 Lake and was noted, though not so commonly, in March. The 

 last observation on this species was on March 24, when a pair 

 were seen. As observed here, this Hawk preyed almost ex- 

 clusively on the Coot {Fiilica americana) which occurred in 

 enormous flocks on both lake and river. 



At all three points I found the White-headed Eagle (Halia'etns 

 lucoccphal/is) a common bird and this was particularly the case 

 on the coast. A pair at the mouth of the Withlacoochee River 

 began to repair an old nest early in November, 1S79. and must 

 have laid early in December, as the young were obtained almost 

 fully fledged the 22d of January. At Clearwater Harbor two 

 sets, one of two and one of three almost fully fledged young, were 

 obtained February 5 and 6. Four Eagle's nests were in sight 

 from the house where I stayed at this place, within the radius of a 

 mile and a half, all of them inhabited. In the immediate neigh- 



