LAND BIRDS. 289 



It is a well known fact that in most birds of prey the female exceeds the 

 male in size, and this is true of both species of eagle. It is not so generally- 

 known, however, that the young Bald Eagle, during the first year after 

 leaving the nest, is larger than either of its parents, the expanse of wing 

 being often a foot greater. It is also noticeably different in color, and these 

 large, immature birds were originally described by Audubon as the "Bird 

 of Washington," and even at present we sometimes hear allusions to the 

 " Washington Eagle " as if it were a distinct species. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Tarsus bare for an inch or more above base of toes; five outer primaries deeply notched 

 (emarginate) on inner webs. 



Adult: Entire head, neck, upper tail-coverts and tail pure white, in strong contrast 

 with the rest of the plumage which is mainly dark brown, many of the body feathers with 

 paler margins, and the wing feathers nearly black. Bill, cere and feet bright yellow; 

 iris pale yellow to yellowish white. 



Immatm-e, first year (Black Eagle) : Plumage mainly black; no white on head, and at 

 most only small freckles of white on the inner webs of tail feathers, but all the body feathers 

 snowy white below the surface; bill black; feet yellow; iris brown. 



Immature, second and third year (Gray Eagle); Head and neck mainly black, the 

 "hackles" of hind neck tipped with brown or gray; tail black, the inner webs of most 

 of the feathers more or less sprinkled or mottled with whitish; body feathers above and 

 below mixed brown, black and gray, or even streaked and margined with piu-e white. 

 Bill dark horn color; iris brown; cere and feet yellow. 



Male: Length 30 to 35 inches; wing 20 to 26; tail 11 to 15.25. Female; Length 

 34 to 43 inches; wing 23.50 to 28; tail 12.50 to 16; spread of wings 6^ to 7| feet. 



Family 8<S. FALCONID.E. The Falcons. 



145. Duck Hawk. Falco peregrinus anatum {Bonaj).). (356a) 



Synonyms: Peregrine Falcon, American Peregrine, Great-footed Hawk. — Falco 

 anatum, Bonap., 1838. — Falco peregrinus, Ord, 1808. — Falco communis var., Lath. — 

 Falco communis var. anatum, B. B. & R., 1875. 



This is a large falcon characterized b}^ the notched and toothed 1)111, 

 and the single emarginate outer primary; only to be confounded with the 

 Gyrfalcon (Appendix). 



Distribution. — North America at large, and south to Chili. Breeds 

 locally throughout most of its United States range. 



This beautiful falcon is nowhere common; although a few individuals 

 are seen each season in favorable localities it probably would be impossible 

 for any collector to procure one on an order at any particular time. It 

 is most often seen during the large flights of water fowl in spring and fall, 

 when it seems to accompany these birds in their migratory movements, 

 feeding upon them whenever so incHned. Specimens are found here and 

 there in the public and private collections of the state, but in most cases 

 without definite data as to time and place of collection. Among the more 

 recent records are a female shot March 25, 1904, on the outskirts of Detroit, 

 and a male taken October 6, 1904, on the Detroit River near Ft. Mouille 

 (Swales, Wilson Bull. 53, 1905, p. 108); an immature bird taken by N. A. 

 Wood at the Charity Islands, Saginaw Bay, September 20, 1910, and a 

 second specimen at the same place October 3. 



In general appearance and habits it is practically identical with the 

 Peregrine of the Old World, which was considered the prince of falcons, 

 37 



