HARRIS’S BUZZARD. 
29 
the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It poises itself awhile on spying its prey 
just beneath the surface of the water, glides or plunges "headlong upon it, and 
thus secures it at once, or experiences the same disappointment that Terns 
themselves do on many occasions. It is true, however, that the Fishing 
Hawk does not, Tern-like, secure its finny prey with its bill; but what of 
that, if it plunges into the deep and seizes its quarry there? The Bird of 
Washington which is also a fishing Eagle, glides over its prey, and seizes it 
mostly in the manner exhibited by Gulls. The White-headed Eagle, which, 
as I have told you before, also dives after fish on some occasions, and pursues 
the smaller kinds in shallow water by wading after them, will also attack 
birds and quadrupeds of various species, and thus may be looked upon as 
one of the most singularly gifted of our diurnal birds of prey. 
The species now before you belongs to the group of what may be called 
indolent or heavy-flying Hawks. The specimen from which I made my 
drawing, was procured by a gentleman residing in Louisiana, who shot it 
between Bayou Sara and Natchez. A label attached to one of its legs 
authorizes me to say that it was a female ; but I have received no information 
respecting its habits ; nor can I at present give you the name of the donor, 
however anxious I am to compliment him upon the valuable addition he has 
made to our Fauna, by thus enabling me to describe and portray it. I have 
much pleasure in naming it after my friend Edward Harris, Esq., a gentle- 
man who, independently of the aid which he has on many occasions afforded 
me, in prosecuting my examination of our birds, merits this compliment as 
an enthusiastic Ornithologist. . 
Butko Harrisii, And., Birds of America, pi. 392 ; Ornithol. Biog., vol. v. p. 30 
Adult Female. 
Bill short, robust, as broad as high at the base, compressed toward the 
end ; upper mandible with its dorsal outline sloping a little at the base; 
then decurved, the sides nearly flat, the edge with a slight festoon, the tip 
prolonged, trigonal,' descending, acute ; lower mandible with the angle 
rather long and wide, the dorsal line convex, the edge decurved toward 
the end, the tip obtuse. Nostrils rather large, ovate, oblong, oblique. 
Head large, ovate, flattened above, with the superciliary ridges projecting. 
Neck of moderate length ; body full. Feet of ordinary length, very robust ; 
tarsus strong, roundish, feathered anteriorly for somewhat more than a third, 
aud having thirteen scutella, covered behind with sixteen scutella, reticulated 
on the sides and at the lower part ; toes strong, of moderate length, the first 
and second thickest, and nearly equal ; the first with four, the second with 
five, the third with eight, the fourth with six entire scutella. the parts 
Vol. I. 4 
