28 
A large number of American species belong to the family 
Falconidcz. 
The Buzzards proper are a group of Hawks, generally of 
large size and rather heavy flight. The Eagles are closely 
associated with this division. The Golden Eagle and the 
Bald Eagle are occasionally seen in all parts of the country, 
though they are now somewhat rare along the Atlantic coast, 
and for a long distance into the interior. ~ They are the only 
Eagles properly belonging to the North American fauna, 
although as the Bald Eagle does not receive its white head 
and tail until its third year, its different stages of plumage 
have given rise to several vernacular names by which it is 
known. 
Dr. Elliott Coues sums up the distribution and character of 
this species in his “ Key to North American Birds ” after the 
following descriptive manner: — 
“ North America, common ; piscivorus ; a piratical parasite 
of the Osprey; otherwise notorious as the Emblem of the 
Republic.” Certainly, on watching its filthy habits, its 
sneaking ways, and its thievish expression, one is not dis- 
posed to be proud of his “Bird of Freedom.” 
The Falcons, Harriers, and Kites are small Hawks of rapid 
and vigorous flight and daring dispositions. They are found 
all over the world. The Falcons are readily distinguished 
by the presence of a notch — called the tooth — in the upper 
mandible. 
The specimen of the Duck Hawk (Fa/co co^nmunis) of 
North America, in one of the small cages, flew on board of 
the steamship Pennsylvania when three days out from the port 
of Philadelphia, and was added to the collection by the kind- 
ness of Captain Harris. 
The true Vultures are represented in North America by 
three species, of which the Society possess two — the Turkey 
Buzzard, being common to all North America, and the Black 
Vulture, which is mainly confined to the South Atlantic and 
Gulf States, where they perform the duties of useful scavengers 
in the streets of even the large cities. 
The pair of these birds, now in the Garden, were presented 
by the Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. 
The Caracara Buzzard belongs to a small group of Hawks 
approaching somewhat in habit to the Vultures. They range 
from South and Central America into the southern parts of 
the United States. 
