( 350 ) 



THE CARACARA EAGLE. 



Pol Y£ OR us vulgaris, Vieill. 



PLATE CLXI. Adult. 



I WAS not aware of the existence of the Caracara or Brazilian Eagle in 

 the United States, until my visit to the Floridas in the winter of 1831. On 

 the 24th November of that year, in the course of an excursion near the 

 town of St Augustine, I observed a bird flying at a great elevation, and 

 almost over my head. Convinced that it was unknown to me, and bent on 

 obtaining it, I followed it nearly a mile, when I saw it sail towards the 

 earth, making for a place where a group of Vultures were engaged in 

 devouring a dead horse. Walking up to the horse, I observed the new 

 bird alio-hted on it, and helping itself freely to the savoury meat beneath 

 its feet; but it evinced a degree of shyness far greater than that of its asso- 

 ciates, the Turkey Buzzards and Carrion Crows. I moved circuitously, 

 until I came to a deep ditch, along which I crawled, and went as near to 

 the bird as I possibly could ; but finding the distance much too great for 

 a sure shot, I got up suddenly, when the whole of the birds took to flight. 

 The eacle, as if desirous of forming acquaintance with me, took a round 

 and passed over me. I shot, but to my great mortification missed it. 

 However it alighted a few hundred yards oflP, in an open savanna, on 

 which I laid myself flat on the ground, and crawled towards it, pushing 

 my o-un before me, amid burs and mud-holes, until I reached the distance 

 of about seventy-five yards from it, when I stopped to observe its atti- 

 tudes. The bird did not notice me ; he stood on a lump of flesh, tearing 

 it to pieces, in the manner of a Vulture, until he had nearly swallowed 

 the whole. Being now less occupied, he spied me, erected the feathers of 

 his neck, and, starting up, flew away, carrying the remainder of his prey 

 in his talons. I shot a second time, and probably touched him ; for he 

 dropped his burden, and made off in a direct course across the St Sebas- 

 tian River, with alternate sailings and flappings, somewhat in the manner 

 of a Vulture, but more gracefully. He never uttered a cry, and I fol- 

 lowed him wistfully with my eyes until he was quite out of sight. 



. The following day the bird returned, and was again among the Viil- 

 tures, but at some distance from the carcass, the birds having been kept 

 oiF by the dogs. I approached by the ditch, saw it very well, and watched 



