98 BIRDS OF PREY. 



woods, in the neighbourhood of marshes ; situations suit- 

 ed for supplying it with its usual humble prey of frogs, 

 mice, reptiles, and straggling birds, for which it patiently 

 watches for hours together, from day-break to late twi- 

 light. When his prey is perceived, he takes a cautious, 

 slow, circuitous course near the surface, and sweeping 

 over the spot where the object of pursuit is lurking, he 

 instantly grapples it, and flies off to consume it at leis- 

 ure. The inclement winters of the high northern re- 

 gions, where they are usually bred, failing to afford them 

 food, they are under the necessity of making a slow mi- 

 gration towards those countries which are less severe. 

 According to Wilson, no less than from 20 to 30 indi- 

 viduals of this species continued regularly to take up 

 their winter-quarters in the low meadows below Philadel- 

 phia. They are never observed to soar, and, when dis- 

 turbed, utter a loud, squealing note, and only pass from 

 one neighbouring tree to another. In the course of the 

 winter they proceed into Maryland, and probably further 

 south. In Europe they seldom migrate so far to the 

 south as Holland. 



The length of this species is (in the male) about 19 to 20 inches; 

 in the female, 2 feet 2 or 3 inches (Wilson's measurement of 22 

 inches can only belong to the following species.) Cere and feet 

 yellow. Bill blackish. Iris yellow. Upper part of the head pale 

 ochreous, streaked with brown. Back and wings dark brown and 

 ferruginous ; first 4 primaries nearly black about the tips ; rest of 

 the quills dark brown, with the lower side and inner vanes white ; 

 tail coverts white. Body beneath pale ochreous, spotted and striped 

 with blackish brown. 



'':/ : - '^ ^!^ Av j.g -^■/ - "/>^f C[ 



V' 

 BLACK HAWK. 



{Falco sancti'johannis, Gmelin. Bonap. F. niger, Wilson. Am. 

 Orn. vi. p. 82. pi. 53. fig. 1. [adult,] and fig. 2. [the young.] 

 Philad. Museum, 404, 405.) 



