212 



FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 



illlli' 



and tippinl \vit)i black. //«.— Similar, hut hmwiKT, and with few or no ham 

 on the iiitcrscaiiulars and In-cast. ]<., -J-J'imi; \V., 1i;im); 15. I'mni X., I'J.".. 



y»'«/(;/<.— Southern Florida and Mexican border of llie United States .south 

 to the Amazon. 



Sent, in a eabliaire palmetto or on the tops of dense bushes, /w/f/.", two to 

 three, varviuir fn.iii ereaiii-buH' to rufous, heavily marked with shades of red- 

 dish brown and chocolate, \i'ob x Iv^.j. 



Caraearns frequently a.'^sociate with Vultures and feed on carrion, 

 but they also nqjture their own food. Tliis consists hirgely of frogs, 

 lizards, and small snakes, which the birds find while walking about 

 on the groutul in search of them. Their llight is strong, rapid, and 

 direct, and bears no resembhmcc to tluit of a Vulture's. 



364. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis ((inuL). Amkkk a.n o.s- 

 I'liKv; Fisu Hawk. Ail. (J. rjiper parts fuscous, tlie head and nape varied 

 with white; tail with si.\ to ei<j;ht obscure band.s, more distinct on the inner 

 web; under parts white, breast sometimes sliijlitly spotted with trrayish brown. 

 Ad. 9 . — Similai-, but the breast always spotted with grayish brown. J^,, 'S6'H) ; 

 W., 18-25; T., 8-40. 



Rdiujf. — North America; breeds from Florida to Labrador; winters from 

 South Carolina to northern South America. 



Washiiiirton, uncommon S. K., Mch. 25 to Oct. Sinj; Sinjr, common T. V., 

 rare S. K., Apl. 'i to May 20; Sept. '29 to Oct. 2U. Cambridge, conunon T. V., 

 Apl. ; Sei)t. 



Xent^ frenerally in a tree, thirty to fifty feet from the gnnuid, rarely on 

 tlic ground, lujijx^ two to four, extremely variable, sometimes dull white, un- 

 marked, sometiiiu's almost solid chocolate, but geiu'rally butl'y wliite, heavily 

 nuu-ked with chocolate, chietly at the larger ciui, 2-45 x l-so. 



This species lives in colonics, and also in i)airs, along our coasts, re- 

 turning year after year to the same nesting ground. Its food consists 

 solely of fish, which as a rule it captures alive. Winging its way 

 slowly over the water, it keeps a keen watch for fish which uuiy appear 

 near the surface. When one is observed it pauses, hovers a moment, 

 and then closing its wings descends with a speed aiul directness of 

 aim that generally insure success. It strikes the water with great 

 force, making a loud splnnh, aiul frequently disappears for a moment 

 before rising with its prey grasped in its powerful talons. As a rule, 

 it carries its food to some favorite perch, there to devour it. It is said 

 that Fish Hawks have been known to strike fish so large that, unable 

 to release their hold, they were drawn under water and drowned. 



W^hen jirotected. Fish IL\wks, like many other birds, to a large de- 

 gree lose their fear of man. In The Auk, for October, 1892, will be 

 found a valuable article by Dr. C. S. Allen, on the habits of this species 

 as observed by him on Plum Island, N. Y., where for forty years the 

 birds had been protected by the owner of the island. 



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