BLACK HAWK. 99 



Spec. Charact. — Black; front and line round the eye white ; tail 

 rounded, crossed with 5 bands of white, and terminated with dull 

 white. — Young, according to age, varied with white, brown, 

 blackish, and ferruginous ; at first palish brown ? Tail half 

 way white, with 1 or 2 external dusky bars and a broad subter- 

 minal band of black; — the feathers sometimes merely blotched 

 with black and white on their inner vanes. 



This somewhat rapacious and sombre-colored species 

 chiefly inhabits the northern parts of America, particu- 

 larly Hudson's Bay and Newfoundland, from whence it 

 sallies, at the approach of winter. It appears, occasion- 

 ally at such seasons, in this part of Massachusetts, sail- 

 ing over the wet meadows, at a low elevation, in search 

 of mice, moles, and frogs, and is very shy and transitory 

 in its visits. Like the other birds of this natural section, 

 it watches for its prey while seated on the dead limb 

 of a tree, or on a ledge of rock, from whence, accord- 

 ing to Pennant, it is in the habit of watching the Ducks, 

 and striking them as they rise. I have seen them soar- 

 ing and traversing the marshes about Reedy Island in 

 the Delaware, probably in the same pursuit, though 

 sometimes contenting themselves with crabs and shell- 

 fish when nothing better offered. 



This species seems to present a great diversity in its plumage. In 

 Pennant's figure the tail is broadly barred with white, and the upper 

 parts are varied with black and dull white, with indications of trans- 

 verse bars on the femorals. In length it is from 21 to 22 inches ; 

 and 4 feet 2 inches in the stretch of the wings. The biJl blackish. 

 Cere, sides of the mouth, and feet yellow. Eye large, with the iris 

 bright hazel. General color above brown black with lighter shades. 

 Nape of the neck white below the surface. Lower parts black with 

 slight shades of brown. The wings extend a little beyond the tip of 

 the tail. The 5 first primaries are white on their inner vanes. Tail 

 rounded, deep black, crossed with 5 narroiv bands of white, and 

 broadly tipped with dull white ; the vent black, spotted with white. 

 Toes very short. 



