324 PAND10N HALIAETUS. 



in front, and is covered with small, circular scales. The toes are stout, with strong, well- 

 curved claws. The wings and tail are long and pointed 







GENUS I. PANDION. THE FISH HAWKS. 



GEN. Cn. Posterior margin of sternum, between indentations, not rounded but cut away as far as the keel. Ceracoids, 

 short. Scapula, slender and considerably rounded at base. 



The sterno-trachealis is thick and there is a small brouchialis, but no other laryngeal muscles. The tympanifonn mem- 

 brane is present and although there is a thin os trnnsversale, it does not support a semilunar membrane. The trachea i- a 

 little flattened throughout. The oesophagus is dilated near the middle into quite large crop, and the walls are usually 

 very thin. The proventriculus is very large, with the walls quite thick, and composed of small, simple, cylindrical glands, 

 arranged in a zonular band which measures from 1'50 to 1'GO in width, but in four pyramid-shaped ridges. The stomach 

 is small, somewhat globular in form, with very thin walls, lined with a soft membrane which emits anoily fluid. The f >1<1 

 of the duodenum is long, measuring 3'00. and incloses a small, irregularly formed pancreas which only occupies a short por- 

 tion of its entire length, near stomach. The intestines are very .'-mall, only measuring 15 in diameter, but are very 1 >ng, 

 measuring 117'00 in length. Cocca, very short but thick. Koth lobes of the liver are short, thick, and nearly equal in 

 size. The heart is large and triangular in form. The spleen is an oval-shaped body situated on the proventriculus. There 

 is but one species within our limits. 



PANDION HALIAETUS. 



Osprey. Fish Hawk. 

 Pandion hatiaelus Cuv, R. A., I; 1817, 316. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. CH. Form, robust. Size, large. Sternum, stout, with the tip of keel rounded. Tongue, thick, fleshy, horny at 

 tip which is rounded but not bifid, bluish in color. 



COLOR. Adult. Sides of head and entire under parts, white, with numerous, circular spots of yeUowish-brjwn in a 

 band across the breast. Line through eye. top of head, and the remaining upper portions, very dark-brown, with the tail 

 barred with dusky. 



Young. Quite similar to the adult, but with every feather edged with whitish, and the under portions are slightly 

 tinged with yellowish. 



Young of the year. Not unlike the young but showing a strong overwashing of deep buff on the occiput and many of 

 the feathers above are tinged with it. 



Nestlings. Are, at first, covered with a whitish down, then gradually assume the dress last described. Iris, reddish- 

 brown, cere and feet, bluish, and bill, brown, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



There is a little variation in plumage, some specimens being darker or lighter than the type. This species may be rec- 

 ognized by the peculiar scaling of the ta-su~, form and colors as described. Distributed, as a summer resident, through- 

 out North America, wintering in the more southern portions. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of female specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 23'25; stretch, C7'75; wimr,20'PO; 

 tail, 7' 50; bill, T50; tarsus, 2 - 15. Longest specimen, 24'50; greatest extent of wing, 70'50; longest wing, 21'CO; tail, 9'50; 

 bill, 1-00; t.irsus, 2'30. Shortest specimen, 22 00; smallest extentof wing, C5'50; shortest wing, 19'0(>: tail, 8 50; bill, 1 40; 

 tarsus, 2-00. 



Average measurements of male specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 2T25; stretch, 65'00; wing. IS'OO; 

 tail, 8-30: bill, T41; tarsus, 2' 12. Longest specimen, 2d'50; greatest extent of wing, GG'OO; longest wing.20'00; tail, 8'GO; 

 bill, 1-50; tarsus, 2'25. Shortest specimen, 21'00; smallest extentof wing, G4'00; shortest wing, 19'00; tail,8'00; bill, 1'33; 

 tarsus, 2 '00. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed in trees and bushes, or occasionally on the ground. They are bulky structures, composed of sticks and 

 weeds, arranged in a compact manner. 



EI/IJS, three or four in number, varying from elliptical to oval in form, yellowish-white or creamy in color, spotted 

 and blotched with reddish-brown and umber, so thickly on the larger end as to completely obscure the ground color, and 

 sometimes the entire egg is thus covered. Dimensions, from I'69x2'21 to r85x2'58. 



