370 Audubon's caeacaea — ^p. tharus var. auduboni. 



Saliaetus leucocephalus, Savig.— Cnv., R. A. 2d ed. 326.— Less., Tr. Orn. 40.— Steph., 

 Shaw's G. Z. xiii, pt. ii, 13.— Bp., Comp. List, 1838, 3.— AuD., Syn. 1839, 10.— 

 AuD., B. Am. i, 1840, 57, pi. 14.— GiR., B. L. 1. 1844, 9.— Bp., Consp. i, 1850, 15.— 

 Gray, Hand-list, i, 1869, 16, No. 145 (quotes alUeaJa, Paix.).— Woodh., Sitgr. 

 Rep. 1853, 59.— Cass., 111. 1-^.34, 111.— Brew., N. A. 061. 1857, 48.— Cass., B. N. 

 A. 1858, 43.— Newb., P. R. R. Rep. vi, ia57, 75.— Heerm., iUd. x, 1859, pt. vi, 

 30.— Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 151.— Dress., Ibis, 1865, 328.— 

 COBES, Pr PhUa. Acad. 1866, 49.— Dall & B.iNN., Tr. Chic. Acad. 1869, 272.— 

 Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 451.— Trippe, Pr. Ess. Inst, vi, 1871, 113.— Allen, Bull. 

 M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 333 ; iii, 1872, 181.— Ssow, B. Kans. 1873.— Hold., Pr. Boat 

 Soc. 1872, 207.— Gilpin, Am. Nat. vii, 1873, 429 (variation in tarsal scuteUa- 

 tlon).— CocES, Key, 1872, 219.— Dall, Pr. Cal. Acad. Feb. 1H73 (Aleutian 

 Islands).- B. B. &'R., X. A. B. iii, 1874, 326; and of authors generally. 



Aquila (Salimtm) leucocephula, Sw. & Rich., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 15. 



Falco pygargm, Daud., Traits d' Orn. ii, 1800, 62 {Le pygargue, Boff., i, 99). 



I'alco ossifragua, WiLS., Am. Orn vii, 1815, 16, pi. 55, fig. 2 (juvenile). 



Falco washingioniana, AuD., London's Mag. i, 1828, 115. 



Falco wasMngtonii, AuD., Orn. Biog. i, 1831, 58, pi. 11.— NuTT., Man. i, 1832, 67.— Brew., 

 ed. Wils. 1840, 683.— James., ed. Wils. iv, 261. 



Saliaetus washingtonii, Bp., List, 1838, 3.— Aud., Syn. 1839, 10; B. Am. i, 1840, pi. 13.— 

 Cass., IU. 1854, 110; B. N. A. 1858, 42; and of many writers, especially local. 

 (Examine particularly Allen, Bull. 11. C. Z. ii, 1871, 334.) 



Hob. — The whole of North America. Greenland. Casual in Europe (Temm., Man. 1, 

 25; GotjLD, B. E. pi. 11 ; Nalm., Vog. pis. 344, 345). 



Of frequent occurrence throughout the Missouri region, as elsewhere 

 in this country, although less numerous than in better watered, and 

 especially maritime, ])ortions. 



Breeds in suitable situations over the country at large, and resident, 

 except in the highest latitudes, whence the freezing of the waters forces 

 it to retire. Eggs dull white, unmarked, about 3 inches long by 2.50 

 broad. 



From the circumstance that several years (at least three) are required 

 for the gaining of the perfect plumage, when the head and tail are en- 

 tirely white, it follows that "Gray Eagles" and "Birds of Washington" 

 are much the more frequently met with. Those who, unpracticed in 

 ornithology, may be puzzled by accounts of ilumerous Eagles, may be 

 interested to know, that only two species have ever been found in the 

 United States. In any plumage they may be instantly distinguished 

 by the legs — feathered to the toes in Aquila chrysaetus, naked on the 

 whole shank in Haliaetus leucocephalus. 



Before proceeding to an account of the Vultures, I will introduce a 

 notice of a vulture-like Hawk, not found in the Missouri region : 



AUDUBON'S CAEACAEA. — PoLYBOEirs thaetjs var. auduboni, 



(Cass.) Bidgw* 



' The following is the synonymy of the two races of this species : 

 POLTBOKTJS THARUS, (Molina) Strickland. 



Falco tharus, Molina, Chili, 1782, 234; French ed. 244.— Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 254.— 



Lath., Ind. Om. i, 1790, 16.— Daud., Tr. ii, 41.— Shaw, Gen. Zool. vii, 170. 

 Poll/horns fhanis, Strickl., Om. Syn. 18.55, 18. (Not of Cassin.) 

 Fohjborus tharus var. tharus, Ridgw. — B. B. & E., N. A. B. iii, 1874, 177. 

 Falco eheriwaij, Jacq., Beyt. 1784, 17, pi. 4. — G.M., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 254.— Daud., Tr. ii, 42. 

 Fultur cheriway, Lath., Ind. Orn. i, 1790, 8. — Shaw, Gen. Zool. vii, 43. 

 Jqiiila citeriwaij, Meyen, Nov. Act. Ak. Leop.-Carol. xvi, Suppl. p. 66. 

 Folyborus cheriway, Schomb., Guiana, 741. — Nitzsch, Pteryl. 89. — Reesii., Vidd. Meddel. 



1870, 64. 

 Falco plancus, Mull., HI. pi. 17.— Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 257.— Daud., Tr. ii, 42. 

 VuUvr plancas, Lath., Ind. Orn. i, 1790, 8. — Shaw, G. Z. vii, 41.— Forst., Descr. An. 321. 

 Falco hraMliensis, Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 262.— Lath., Ind. Om. i, 1790, 21.— Shaw, G. 



Z. vii, 106. — Daud., Tr. ii, 149.— JIaxim., Beit, iii, 190 (Caracara, AucT. ; Circus 



irasiliensis, Briss., i, 405). 



