352 



ELEMENTARY ZOOLOGY 



buzzard (Cat hart es aura) is the most familiar of the three 

 species of carrion-feeding Raptores found in the United 

 States. The buzzard nests on the ground or in hollow 

 stumps or logs, and lays two white eggs (sometimes only 

 one) blotched with brown and purplish. The largest 

 North American vulture is the California condor (Pseudo- 

 grypJius calif or niarius), which attains a length of four and 

 one-half feet, with a spread of wing of nine and one-half 



FIG. 138. Screech-owl, Megascops asio. (Photograph by A. L. Princeton 

 permission of Macmillan Co.) 



feet. Of the eagles, the most widespread and commonest 

 is the bald eagle (Ha licet us leucocephahts). It is three 

 feet long and when adult has the head and neck white. 

 The golden eagle (Aquila cJiryscetos] has the neck and 

 head tawny brown. Of the many species of hawks, the 

 marsh harrier (Circus Jiudsonius), abundant all over the 

 country and readily known by its white rump, is one of 



