BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 199 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Entirely white ; upper parts with regular transverse, and very- 

 distinct bands of brown, becoming somewhat crescent shaped 

 on the scapulars and rump, and slightly acuminate on the 

 shafts of the feathers; quills white and brownish black at their 

 tips; tail white, with about twelve transverse narrow bands of 

 brown; under parts with a few longitudinal lines of dark brown. 



Length, 24; wing, 16.50; tail, 10. 



Habitat, northern North America, 



FALCO PEREGRINUS AXATUM (Bonaparte). (356.) 



DUCK HAWK. 



The typical species of all the true falcons, the Duck Hawk 

 is the last of its family to escape the recognition of the genuine 

 sportsman. Minnesota being the El Dorado of this species, 

 dotted all. over with its innumerable lakes, ponds and streams, 

 whither the duck kingdom repairs in the seasons of migration, 

 and to breed in many cases extensively, it may be asked why 

 should this hawk go further. He reaches us simultaneously with 

 the arrival of the ducks and geese, which varies somewhat with 

 the different seasons. It is more frequently in the last days of 

 March, or first in April, but I have known them to be here in 

 force by the 17th of the former month. The Duck Hawk never 

 goes long hungry, for while the birds of the water are in mi- 

 gration, his la,rder is at hand. Like others of its family which 

 build on inaccessible cliffs on the seashore, it takes to the trees 

 here, and constructs its nest of sticks, twigs, grass and leaves, 

 in which are dropped four reddish-brown eggs, which are 

 minutely spotted and blotched with a darker shade of the same. 

 The young of this species have been found on the wing by the 

 25th of May, although some pairs are only building or incu- 

 bating at that date. As compared with some others the Duck 

 Hawks are not a numerous species, but are fairly so for their 

 own. Their chief breeding section seems to be in the great 

 forest and lake region in the northern counties of the State.* 

 Their agility on the wing is simply marvelous, and their dart- 

 ing not a whit less so. When in proximity to their prey, they 

 seem almost insensible to danger, but when once they have 

 secured it, their discretion returns to dominate all their move- 

 ments, and they seek places of entire safety in which to devour 



*Mr. Lewis found them breeding on the shores of several lakes in Becker and Cass 

 counties. At Leech Lake were two nests. In every instance they were constructed 

 on trees at considerable elevation, but no more diflBcult to reach than those of the 

 other species of large hawks. 



-14z 



