72 ROUGH-LEGGED FALCON. 



perceived unless the feathers be blown aside ; tail slightly forked, and. 

 as well as the rump, jet black ; legs vermilion, tinged with orange and 

 becoming blackish towards the toes ; claws black ; iris of the eye dark 

 red, pupil black. 



This was a male. With the female, which is expected soon from that 

 country, I shall, in a future volume, communicate such further informa- 

 tion relative to their manners and incubation, as I may be able to 

 collect. 



Species XIIL FALCO LAGOPUS* 



ROUGH-LEGGED FALCON. 



[Plate XXXIII. Fig. 1.] 

 Arct. Zool. p. 200, No. 92.— Latham, i., 75. 



This handsome species, notwithstanding its formidable size and 

 appearance, spends the chief part of the winter among our low swamps 

 and meadows, watching for mice, frogs, lame ducks, and other inglorious 

 game. Twenty or thirty individuals of this family have regularly taken 

 up their winter quarters, for several years past, and probably long 

 anterior to that date, in the meadows below this city, between the rivers 

 Delaware and Schuylkill, where they spend their time watching along 

 the dry banks like cats ; or sailing low and slowly over the surface of 

 the ditches. Though rendered shy from the many attempts made to 

 shoot them, they seldom fly far, usually from one tree to another, at no 

 great distance, making a loud squealing as they arise, something resem- 

 bling the neighing of a young colt ; though in a more shrill and savage 

 tone. 



The bird represented in the plate was one of this fraternity ; and 

 several others of the same association have been obtained and examined 

 during the present winter. On comparing these with Pennant's descrip- 

 tion, referred to above, they correspond so exactly, that no doubts 

 remain of their being the same species. Towards the beginning of 

 April, these birds abandon this part of the country, and retire to the 

 north to breed. 



They are common during winter in the lower parts of Maryland, and 

 numerous in the extensive meadows below Newark, New Jersey ; are 



* We add the following synonymes : Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 19. — Gmel. Syst. i., p. 

 260. — Temm. Man d' Orn. i., p. 65. 



