Catalogue of the Birds of Connecticut. 251 



4. Falco temerarius, Audubon, Little Corporal Hawk, Strat- 

 ford and New Haven. 



*5. F. columbarius, Wilson, Pigeon Hawk, Stratford and New 

 Haven* 



# 6. F. chrysaetos? Linn, {ossifragus of Wilson,) Black Eagle, 

 New Haven. 



# 7. F. Washingtoniensis, Audubon, Washington Eagle, Strat- 

 ford. 



# 8. F. leucocephalus, Wilson, Bald Eagle, Stratford and New 

 Haven. 



*5. I shot at an individual of this bird in my yard in November last, but fail- 

 ed to obtain him. He is a trifle larger than the preceding species of sparrow 

 hawk. 



*6. The black or sea eagle is not only a frequent visitor upon Long Island, but 

 there are said to be two eyries of these birds near New Haven ; that is, one is found 

 at Mount Carmel, eight miles north of New Haven, and the other four miles east, 

 on the high ridge of Saltonstall's Pond. 



*7. This noble bird was shot in New Canaan in April, 1821, and was sent to 

 me in Stratford by Mr. J. Silliman. He soon recovered from his wound, and be- 

 came perfectly domesticated. I kept him a while confined, but soon found it un- 

 necessary, because if he left my premises, he would return to the stand at night. 



I have known him to eat fourteen birds, (mostly Muscicapa tyrannus, king-bird,) 

 and then he was satisfied for a week. He appeared to prefer this mode of living, 

 and paid no attention to a daily supply. He however in the course of the sum- 

 mer became so mischievous among the young ducks of my neighbors, that I was 

 compelled to kill him. A single anecdote of his conduct may not be uninterest- 

 ing. While he had possession of my front yard, occupying the centre as his 

 stand, (the walks making a semicircle to the door,) he would remain perfectly 

 quiet if gentlemen or ladies entered; but if a person with tattered garments, or 

 such persons as were not accustomed to come in at the front door entered the yard, 

 it was actually dangerous for them, and they could only escape the tremendous 

 grasp of his talons by running with their full strength and shutting the gate after 

 them. Facts of this kind often occurred, and I was occasionally compelled to 

 release from his grasp such individuals as he had taken captive. With one claw 

 in the sward and grass, he would hold quietly any man with the other. My do- 

 mestics, both male and female, often felt this power of his talons and grasp. He 

 would not allow their passing in that yard, and long acquaintance did not change 

 his temper towards them. If however such persons passed him in the adjoining 

 yard, to the door in the rear of the house, he made no complaints. What renders 

 this truly remarkable was, he had no training to this purpose while in my posses- 

 sion, and was wild when I received him. 



The figures and descriptions of this bird which have fallen under my observation, 

 agree well with my specimen — in dimensions about seven feet in alar extent, and 

 the tail extended from one to two inches beyond the folded wings, according to the 

 best of my recollection. In short, I am not aware of any fact that would tend to 

 show him otherwise than the true Washington eagle. 



*8. The bald eagle is quite common in this vicinity. One recently killed here 

 on the Housatonic weighed 14£ lbs., and measured 7J feet in stretch of wings. An- 



