T H E F A L C O N. 17 



almoft perpendicularly (accompanied by their ardent purfuer, who tries 

 to rife above them), till they are loft in the clouds; they defcend ftrug- 

 gling together; but after a defperate defence, the falcon proves viftorious. 

 When a lark is purfued by a couple of merlins, the amufement is, to fee one 

 of them mounring to get the afcendant of the lark, while the other, lying 

 low for the beft advantage, waits the fuccefs.of its companion's efforts; 

 thus, while one (loops to ftrike its prey, the other feizes it coming down. 

 The kite or the gofs-hawk approach their prey lide-ways : thefe falcons 

 dart perpendicularly on their game; defcertding from the clouds an ama- 

 zing height, with inevitable fwiftnefs. 



Tlie bafcr races being Icfs courageous are more patient; and, Icfs 

 fwifr, are more cunning. '1 he kite, diftinguifhed by his forky tail, and 

 his fiow floating motion, fcems almoft ever on the wing, and to reft on 

 the air without effort. He lives on accidental carnage; ever prowling, 

 hungry and defperate; is exquifite of fight ; when to us invifible by his 

 'height, will fly round and round to mark a clutch of chickens, and fud- 

 denly dart like lightning on one of the brood, and carry it off in fpite of 

 refiftance. 



There is a black kite, whofe tail is not forked, in fize rather Icfs. 



The buzzard is fluggifli, ina<flive, and often remains perched whole 



days on the fame bough. Lives more on frogs, mice, and infefts, than 



on birds; or by robbing the nefts of other birds, and fucking their eggs. 



His figure cxpreffcs ftupidity of difpofition. Some are white, fome have 



. whitiffi heads, others are fpotted. 



The honey-buzzard, the moor-buzzard, and the hen-harrier, all of 

 this ftupid tribe, differ chiefly in fiz^, grov/ing lels in the order nam.ed. 

 The gofs-hawk and fparrov/-hawk are fhort-v.^inged, and unfit for train- 

 ing, however injurious they may be to the pigeon-houfe. Length of 

 body 20 or 21 inches; extent of wings expanded, four feet and a lialfi 

 tail eight inches. 



This kind being greatly fpread has feveral varieties in foreign parts, 

 differing rather by plumage than manners, and by dimenfion than con- 

 formation. 



Part IV. No. 25. D THE 



