CERCHNEIS. PANDIOX. 281 



it no\v and then flies up into the air and returns again to its 

 resting-place. The immediate surroundings o£ its look-out are 

 most vigorously defended against all intruders, even larger Falcons 

 being driven away. Its nest is composed o£ twigs and built on fairly 

 high trees in the oasis ; it lays three eggs. The natives keep it 

 in captivity, and it becomes very tame. The '' Macusis " call it 

 Kirii'ih. 



We quote the following notes by Mr. J. J. Quelch (Timehri(2) 

 vi. p. 131) : — "This Kestrel seems not to occur on the coast. being 

 apparently confined to the open savannahs and higher lands, where 

 it is generally met with, like its English congener, the AVind-hover. 

 poised on the wing, hovering, while seeking for the small mammals, 

 reptiles, insects, etc., on which it chiefly feeds. Though a fierce 

 and rapacious creature, this little Hawk is slenderly and slightly 

 built, being the most delicate-looking of all our species." 



Genus PANDION Savigny. 



Pandion Savigny, Descr. Egypt, Hist. Xat. i. p. 69. 1S09. Tvj^)e 

 P. Jialiaefus (Linn.). 



This senus is distinguished by having the outer toe reversible, 

 the soles of the feet provided with small spicules, very short 

 tarsi, and long tibia. 



178. Pandion carolinensis. 



American Ospret. 



Falco carolinensis Gmel. Syst. Xat. i. p. 263, 178S (Carolina). 

 Pandion haliaefus Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. i. p. 149, 1>>74; Quelch, 



Timehri (2) vi. pp. 161, 162, 1892 (Abary Elver). 

 Saliaetiis carolinensis Beebe, Our Search for a Wilderness, p. 156, 1910 



(Waini River). 

 Pandion carolinensis Brabourae & Chubb, B. S. Amer. i. p. 74, no. 679, 



1912. 



"Fish-Hawk^' (Quelch). 



Immature female. General colour aliove, including the entire 

 back, scapulars, wings, and tail, brown witli white bases, bars, and 

 edgings to many of the featliers, the tail regularly barred with 

 paler brown and white ; the head white or butf'y-white with brown 

 shaft-streaks and an occipital crest of brown feathers. Throat 

 and entire under surface creamy-white witli dark sliaft-lines and 

 lanceolate spots on the fore-neck and brown markings on tlie 



