302 



NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



crown of the head is dull black, the bill variable, but usually bluish white, the cere 

 and bare space about the eye, orange-red. The northern race (auduboni) seems 

 to differ but little in habits or appearance from the southern bird, but perhaps the 

 plumage is rather less barred. 



In Milvago we have a very different bird, though the habits vary considerably, 

 according to species and locality. Most of the species are much smaller than the 

 caracara, and decidedly more active. When food is scarce, they may be seen on the 

 wing almost all day, sweeping about from place to place, often hovering in the 



FIG. 141. Polyborus auduboni, caracara. 



manner of kites and buzzards, or walking about on the ground like so many crows. 

 They are almost completely terrestrial in habits, sometimes even nesting on the 

 ground. 



The chimango, Milvago chimango, the smallest species of the genus, is the 

 common bird of southern South America, and especially abundant from Paraguay 

 southward. Further north it is replaced by M. chimachima, while in the Falkland 

 Islands a much larger species, M. australis, is common. Of this latter species, Mr. 

 Darwin says: "They live on the flesh of dead animals and on marine productions ; 

 and on the Ramirez rocks their w r hole sustenance must depend on the sea. They are 



