iWfeey* are eminently distinguished from all other FalcGilsiiby their
considerable length to the tip of
their tail, which: Is éven-, or but very slightly» rounderl .» -and by
thfeir first?quiRrfëather „or primaryj which--is veryisMBt^iudrile the
fourth is cpnstantly the longest.' IPheir bill/îshddeidy teurvéd from
.the .base, is very strong and sharp; their head is narrowed before;
with- tke eyfes! placed* high, »large* and fiery:1 ThéÉe*feet- a re ’wery
longe r andktbeyttoes i-espeoiallyv the
Ithç longest,• and ;all are armed with very strong sharp talons, well
S@cô®din'g^th®#?'saa@uinà®y! nature ofd!?h0^fiecEcete.eaturesfritheir
outer toe »is connected aS^fcse^-by^^^Nhrane to#the middte dim
filterfémèle is- alwaysJon&jdwl>ilarger thamthearhuley■ andttlite
plumage of boths is, in?®aK<istespecies*dark above and white benfeath ;
in the-adult barred with* reddish or dusky*. In the young'bi^d^t-hse
colour is »lighter,- thé feathers skirted-'with ferruginous; and the
white-of the^under parts streaked longitudinally 'with? dusky; in-
stead of being -barred. »The^taiMsf unifortn1" in 5ÉVîfeùarKwith the
back, with almost; always a fiew broad bands 'of »black; and some*
times of white, and a whitish tip.
y The Hawks* (fistures) combine h Canning- with agility ; and
strength, g jj Sudden an'd impetuous in A e ir movements, they make
great haVock; especially among birds that keep in flocks;; rt|fcs
an(i are the terrorffQf«fehe^;^piouitry*yârd.
Eeaide«S-;and sanguinary, they never feedy-even when* pressed-by
hunger* except on rpd and warm-blooded animàls, whose' quivering
liiates they fear -with savage' delight* Birds -they*.>jiluck very
carefully, and quarter,-• .before ' eating them, but swallow1 small
quadrupeds< entire,• afterwards ejecting their skins rolled up Into
a ball. They alwayS- pursue and seize their prey updn the Wing,
not falling upon it from;1 aloft; hurt rapidly skimming th e earth,
make their insidious approaches sideways, • and singling out their
victim, dart upon it with fatal Velocity. They irtever soar, like the
Kites and Eagles,;to*tiie upper1 regions; of the atmosphere, and
it i§» only during the nuptiafoseafspn that: they are oh scr^ed^s ailing
in wide circles in the air# j|Bheiri^av®.Ugiterhaunt'S dhrang^sumiad
are^i^tsyiib&ildiffig them- nests, on trees; in winterlyhly #f®epd
m m the «plains.,»fllhoughagen'erally^ipbserved^ alope^iibe-' male
and h>i-$^ompanionnnre ^seldom fa®,; apart. ^During Wfe .youth of
their.progeny; tbevparentfs ^e^p^tfeenv^mpanyAn order-to teach
them to hunt «their*»prey, and at*, .such timesjrtheyuarevobser v.edWi
families. •
, •This groupj ;,eiay-itJe^fuBjBheaf -subdivided,'apt© two-sections, to
one, ofe which-<the* name d^^tenyhas-) Mcppjs^iqtiy been assigned*,;
;phile^O^ati^i^ldst.vbeen;^slfe'guished jby-tthps'e^ oft Sparvius, and
.l iwifiter. The/--former,» ,©fs®rhich the Goshawk of * Etmqpei and
»Monti»- America»(Black-cappedvHawk of vWifsjqnibfAs the »type, tts
characterised,-by tits wings»being somewhat dong;er,,bodyj.mn®B
rnbjisJli,«andkt(Sihorter, and much»thicker »tarsi. This isr4be*Qjdy
species that inhabits the lJnitgdpStates and Europe, i
'(«The?,second section, to which the present Aiew*s{^sA§s»fbelongSj,
possessing kall its ,character s? in ajpre-ejninent degree,.equally with
tho Hjawkiidesorihe^hy/WilsoiRin -its adult »,’sthteias Falco pehspl*
vanicus, and in its youth as-i Faleopveip%i was established on-the
Epagnowhawk ,<of Europe, - falco -nipu^ ,<Amerieunhspe©iqs
jpst mentioned arc no - less «tppi&fd- ■ The ,-H’aw.ks of tljd^i -section
aole morekelegantly-sbaped, being much morei^lgsnder; their wings
are still shorter than ini-fibe other section; reaching little.beyond
the,»origin , of the tail,-, and »their tarsi blender and elongated; with
; .aispiooth and, almost eontinijn^ .covering., », g
otwith standing their strength,
.their superioy*e.oj«age«hnd ,audae.ity,. .and the quickness of their
mitVCments, enable»thbm> to turn, .{the flight of the fiaijgqst birds,
amid ^ v^TusnTnp.timp,s, wben in. captivity-together;; tomvercome them.
We have:,kept .ai^paFrQwhuwfefe^#c®'”irw«) which, in the space