FISH HAWK. 421 



Bill short, as broad as deep at the base, the sides convex, dorsal 

 outline straight at the base, curved towards the end ; upper mandible 

 cerate, the edges acute, with a festoon at the curvature, the tip trigo- 

 nal, deflected, very acute ; lower mandible inflected at the edges, which 

 are slightly arched, the tip obtusely truncate, the dorsal line slightly con- 

 cave at the base, convex towards the end. Nostrils oval, oblique, lateral, 

 in the fore part of the cere. Head rather large. Body robust. Legs 

 rather long; tarsus short, remarkably thick, covered all round with 

 hexagonal scales ; toes also remarkably thick, the outer versatile, covered 

 anteriorly with broad, laterally with small hexagonal scales ; claws curved, 

 roundish, very acute. 



Plumage compact, imbricated ; feathers of the head and neck narrow, 

 of the back broad and rounded, of the breast also rounded. Tibial 

 feathers short, tarsus feathered anteriorly one-third down. Wings very 

 long, acute, the third quill longest, the second and fourth equal, the first 

 not much shorter. Tail rather long, of twelve broad, rounded feathers.' 



Bill brownish-black, blue at the base and margin ; cere light-blue. 

 Iris yellow. Feet pale greyish-blue, tinged with brown ; claws black. 

 The general colour of the upper parts is dusky brown, the tail barred 

 with pale brown. The upper part of the head and neck white, the middle 

 part of the crown dark brown. A broad band of the latter colour from 

 the bill down the side of the neck on each side. Under parts of the neck 

 broAvnish white, streaked with dark brown. Under parts generally 

 white. Anterior tarsal feathers tinged with brown. 



Length 23 inches, extent of wings 54 ; biU along the back 2 ; tarsus 

 2 J, middle toe 3. ' 



The Weak Fish. 



The Weak Fish makes its appearance along our eastern shores about 

 the middle of April, and remains until autumn. It is caught in the 

 seine, and sold in our markets, being a delicate well-flavoured fish. It 

 seldom attains any remarkable size. It is particularly plentiful about 

 Great Egg Harbour, in Mew Jersey. • 



