RAPT ORES. I 101 



sionally seen by the roadside, on the way to Santiago, but was much 

 less numerous than on the Rio Negro;" and a short time subsequently 

 at Callao : " The caracara, which we have met with hitherto abundantly, 

 we saw here only on two or three occasions." 



This species, which assumes all the habits of the vultures, appears 

 to be abundant throughout the greater portion of South and Central 

 America, and Mexico. It has been observed also, but rarely, in 

 Florida. It walks and runs on the ground with great facility, and 

 subsists entirely on dead animals in any stage of decay. It is now 

 frequently brought in collections from Texas, but we have not detected 

 any characters showing a specific difference between the bird of that 

 country and of South America. 



2. PoLYBORUS AUSTRALis {GmtJiu). — The Southern Caracara. 



Falco ausfralis, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, p. 259 (1788). 

 Circael^is antarcfkus, Lesson, Traite I, p. 49 (1831). 



Temm. PI. Col. 192, 224 ; Jard. & Selby, 111. n. s. I, Plate XXIV. 



Several fine specimens of this handsome bird are in the collection 

 of the Expedition. 

 Mr. Peale observes : 



" Not uncommon at Orange Harbor and Tierra del Fuego, where 

 we saw and obtained a number of them." 



11. Genus CIRCUS, Lacepede, Mem. d'Inst. Ill, p. 506 (1803). 



1. Circus assimilis, Jardine and Selhij. 



Circus assimilis, Jardine & Selby, III. Orn. II, p. (no date). 



Circus approximans, Peale, Zool. U. S. Exp. Exp. Birds, p. 64 (1st ed. 1848).* 



* "General form, like C. cijaneus, but larger; head and neck striped with ferruginous 

 sepia-brown and white ; back and wings, sepia-brown ; tail, consisting of twelve feathers, 

 each having five brown bars, the two middle feathers cinereous, the others more or less 

 ferruginous on their inner websj the three outer feathers white on their outer webs near 

 the base ; tail beneath, nearly white, with dusky bars which are obscure on the two 

 outer feathers ; throat, breast, and vent, tawny, each feather having a brown stripe along 



2G 



