Ta\erxer and Swales, on Birds of Point Pelee. 97 



tioued. Garilner informs us that they are occasionally seen throngh 

 the winter. Sept. 18, 1906, we were watching an eagle soaring over the 

 lake, when all at once it lowere<l and seemed to plow along the surface of 

 the lake for a short way, throwing up a dash of spray on either side, 

 and then rose with something in its talons which it bore away to its 

 perch on a tall tree-top. This is the only time that we ever saw 

 them pick up anything from the lake, though we think they feed 

 quite largely on the dead hsh that are washed up on the beach. Oct. 

 29, 1905, Taverner found the remains of a half grown turkey, at the 

 edge of one of the fields, that had evidently been devoured by some 

 bird of prey. The eagles seem to be the only ones capable of. this. 

 Several times during the Sharp-shin flight we noted eagles so pes- 

 tered by aggressive little Accipitcrs that they were forced to' soar 

 away from the vicinity. 



77. Falco pcregrinus (niatmii. — Duck Hawk. 



A regular and not luicommon migrant in the fall, but we have never 

 seen it in spring. All have been sight records, but the pecul- 

 iar outline and wing action of the Duck Hawk make its identification 

 almost certain when one has had enough experience with the species 

 to become acquainted with its distinguishing traits. We have seen in- 

 dividuals as follows: Sept. 8, 1905, Sept. 19 and 21, 190G, August 28 

 and 30, 1907. The shooters know it very well and refer to it as that 

 "Big, black, long-winged Hawk," so it must occur in some numbers. 

 Taverner had an interesting sight of one of these birds in action on 

 Lake Muskoka, Ontario. A flock of Blue Jays was passing over .the 

 lake when suddenly down swooped a Duck Hawk, into and through 

 their midst, like a dark brown thunderbolt. As he passed he reached 

 to left and right and seemingly at the touch of his talons two life- 

 less bodies dropped into the lake. Then, while the surviving Jays 

 fled shrieking away, the bold marauder, with a long, circling sweep, 

 returned, and passing, recovered the floating bodies without as much 

 as wetting a toe. The whole strike and return was executed so quick- 

 ly that it seemed to occupy no more than a couple of seconds' time, 

 and well justified his name of "Bullet Hawk." 



78. *Falco coluinbarius. — Pigeon Hawk. 



Keays saw two Sept. 17, 1901, one of which was taken. May 13, 

 1905, we saw one as it flew by close to us on the eastern shore. Since 

 then we have noted single individuals Sept. 16, 19 and 21, 1906, and 

 August 31, 1907. Saunders gives an interesting experience he had 

 with this species, which parallels that of Taverner's with the Duck 

 Hawk as described under that species. He says, "We had fired at 

 and wounded a Black-bellied Plover which was flying over Lake Erie. 

 The wounded bird was at once pursued by this falcon. Attaining a 

 height of thirty or forty feet above the plover, who was only five or 

 six feet above the water, the falcon swooped and missed — the plover 



