104 BIRDS OF PREY. 



and soaring aloft over the wild landscape, in a mood 

 of contemplation, begin to ascend towards the thin skirt- 

 ing of elevated clouds above him. At length he passed 

 this sublime boundary, and was now perceived and soon 

 followed by his ambitious mate, and in a little time, by 

 circular ascending gyrations, they both disappeared in 

 the clear azure of the heavens ; and though I waited for 

 their re-appearance half an hour, they still continued to 

 be wholly invisible. This amusement, or predilection 

 for the cooler regions of the atmosphere, seems more or 

 less common to all the rapacious birds. In numerous 

 instances this exercise must be wholly independent of the 

 inclination for surveying their prey, as few of them be- 

 side the Falcon descend direct upon their quarry. Many, 

 as well as the present species, when on the prowl, fly near 

 to the surface of the ground, and often wait and watch 

 so as to steal upon their victims before they can take the 

 alarm. Indeed the Condor frequents and nests upon the 

 summits of the Andes, above which, they are seen to soar 

 in the boundless ocean of space, enjoying the invigorat- 

 ing and rarefied atmosphere, and only descending to the 

 plains when impelled by the cravings of hunger. 



The Red-tailed Hawk is 20 to 22 inches in length, and 3 feet 9 or 

 more inches in the stretch of the expanded wings. The bill greyish 

 black ; cere, sides of the mouth, and legs yellow. Upper parts dark 

 brown, touched with ferruginous. Wings dusky, barred with black- 

 ish, scapulars barred beneath the surface. Sides of the tail coverts 

 white, barred with rusty, the middle ones dark. Tail rounded, ex- 

 tending 2 inches beyond the wings, of a bright brown or brick 

 color, with a single band of black near the end, and tipped with 

 brownish white ; on some of the lateral feathers indications of bars. 

 Beneath brownish white, the breast somewhat rust-colored, streak- 

 ed with dark brown ; across the belly a band of interrupted spots of 

 brown. Chin white ; vent and femorals pale ochreous, the latter 

 with a few small heart-shaped spots of brown. Iris yellow. 



