158 LAND BIRDS 
called after her loudly and spread his wings a dozen 
times to follow. But the plunge was too awful; he 
settled back in the nest, pulled his head down into his 
shoulders, shut his eyes, and tried to forget he was 
hungry. The meaning was plain enough. She was try- 
ing to teach him to fly, but he was afraid.” ! 
356. DUCK HAWK. — Falco peregrinus anatum. 
Famity: The Falcons, Hawks, Eagles, ete. 
Length: Maite 15.50-18.00 ; female 18.00-20.00. 
Adults: Top of head sooty black, sides of head and neck blackish, in 
sharp contrast to white throat; rest of upper parts slate-color ; 
lighter on the rump, dimly barred with blackish ; under parts except 
throat and breast deep buff, spotted or barred with blackish ; tail 
black, barred with light gray and tipped with white. 
Young: Upper parts blackish, feathers edged with rusty ; under parts 
chestnut, heavily streaked with dark. 
Geographical Distribution: America, south to Chili. In California, 
occurs coastwise. 
California Breeding Range: Breeds locally in the mountainous regions 
as far south as latitude 36°. 
Breeding Season: March and April. 
Nest: On a narrow edge of a cliff; a few sticks to keep the eggs from 
rolling off. 
Eggs: 3 or 4; creamy, tinged with brown, spotted and blotched with 
shades of brown. Size 2.10 X 1.68. 
“THIS species,’ says Mr. F. M. Chapman, “is the 
noble peregrine of falconry. It would be difficult to 
imagine a bird more highly endowed with the qualities 
which make the ideal bird of prey. Its strength of wing 
and talon is equalled by its courage. No bird flies more 
swiftly than the Duck Hawk. Even teal, those winged 
bullets, cannot escape it. No bird is more daring. I 
1 W. J. Long in ‘‘School of the Woods.” 
